Life's Full of Surprises
by YourLocalAlchemist
Summary: Kudou Shinichi has been back in his body for two years, the B.O. is gone...everything's going toward the better. He even meets his god brother Kuroba Kaito, who is his new caretaker. But what if there is a mystery shadow lurking close by with the taste of blood-lust and a certain detective on the top of their hit list? (Future KaiShin!)
1. Prologue

Prologue

Shinichi felt that his life was going toward the better. An antidote for the APTX 4869 was made two years previously, so he no longer had to worry about "Edogawa Conan." As for the Black Organization, Ai was able to disband it…well, more like lure members out one at a time and kill them. The Boss, realizing that all of the members died, disbanded it and disappeared.

He knew his friend Heiji had it even better. He had proposed to Kazuha a year ago and quickly married. They now have a newborn girl named Akemi and happily reside in Osaka.

However, he found it odd that Ai did not take the antidote when he did. He asked her countless times, but she would only smile and give a vague answer. This was one of the reasons why he was going across the street to Professor Agasa's house. The main reason was because it was May 4th; he knew that much but could not place what was special about it.

"Tou-san! Kaa-san!" Shinichi called out to his parents that he decided to stay with, but there was no response. He shook his head, figuring they left for America again, and left the house while whistling a cheerful tune.

When he arrived at the professor's house, he couldn't help but notice how lively it was. He felt a smile tugging at his lips when he opened the door.

"Happy birthday!" Out popped Professor Agasa, Yusaku and Yukiko Kudou, and even the Hattori family, all with grins on their faces.

Shinichi sighed. "I forgot again, didn't I?"

Yukiko tightly hugged her son. "I hated keeping it a secret; I had to use all of my acting skills!"

Shinichi looked around, noticing someone was missing. "Oi…where is Haibara?"

Heiji laughed and wrapped an arm around his fellow detective. "She's in here with yer other surprise. Introducin' yer god brother…the mediocre magician Kuroba Kaito!" The door opened on its own, where there was a single yellow rose as large as a person. Suddenly, it started to bloom, and out popped a young man with wild hair and shining indigo eyes.

"It is nice to meet you, _Tantei-kun_." He snapped his fingers, and the giant rose disappeared. He extended his hand, which held a normal-sized yellow rose. "I'm Kaito, son of the great magician Kuroba Toichi, and I am almost as good as him!"

Shinichi felt a familiar shiver down his spine. _I know that voice…but where and when was it?_ He chose to ignore it as he shook hands with the magician. "I'm curious, Kaito…why didn't you show up until now?"

Kaito gave a huge grin. "Well, today's the day you're an official adult, after all! I had Jii-chan find out about this party, and after that was a piece of cake…literally!" He snapped his fingers again, and a piece of strawberry cake appeared in his hands. "I hope you like it."

Shinichi smiled. "Thanks! To be honest, I'm not much of a chocoholic…" He gladly took the cake and ate it.

Heiji rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Well, I should be goin'… Kazuha wanted me to help with clothes shoppin' fer Akemi tomorrow at the crack o' dawn." He said goodbyes to Shinichi and Kaito before leaving.

"Oi…where's Haibara?" Shinichi asked. "Hattori said she was in here!"

Kaito snickered. "That is not what's important…" His voice had dropped, and his eyes sparkled seductively. "How about you come with me?" He opened the back door and gestured outside.

Shinichi started to protest. After all, he was a death magnet, attracting at least 4 cases a week. It would sometimes tire him, but he luckily was on break from his college courses so he could rest. However, he had just dealt with two murders before the party, so he wanted to quickly finish the party and sleep for a while.

Unbeknownst to Shinichi, Kaito was already full aware of this. That was because he had spoken with Shinichi's parents earlier about setting up his surprise.

"You'd best be careful," Yusaku told him. "My son had two cases today and is really tired; he's asleep now, I believe."

"So _please_ not too flashy!" Yukiko added with a smile. "I've seen some of your heists on TV, so I know you are definitely the son of your parents…" She chuckled and ruffled his hair. "So do you have an idea?"

Kaito grinned. "How about this?" He explained his idea, and both parents gave their consent.

Now, Kaito was dragging Shinichi outside, barely keeping a poker face.

"W-where are we going?" Shinichi exclaimed in surprise.

"A magician never reveals his tricks…" He put a finger to his lips. "Now tell me; do you enjoy stargazing?"

"Yeah, but…" Shinichi was cut off when Kaito picked him up in a princess-carry and jumped up…he literally _flew_. "OI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Taking you to your surprise!" That was all he said, even with Shinichi's questioning.

Eventually, Kaito spoke. "Look over there, _Tantei-kun_!" He pointed in front of him and smiled. Shinichi reluctantly looked away from Kaito and gasped. They were high above Beika; so high that you could see all of the lights without all of the noise. It was breathtaking.

"Kaito…" He turned to the magician with a sad smile. "Thank you—for all of this. It must have taken a while to set this up."

Kaito rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yeah right! Like I said, it was a piece of cake!" He looked down to the detective and laughed quietly. Shinichi had—without wanting to—fallen asleep, leaning his head to Kaito's chest and snoring softly. To Kaito, there was something almost childlike about Shinichi's face when he slept.

 _Hm…so you_ are _my little tantei-kun! It sounded weird when that little scientist told me, but I guess that whole organization was weird!_ He smirked as he landed outside of Shinichi's bedroom window. Since he knew it was unlocked, he propped it open and carefully placed Shinichi in bed. Adjusting the covers, Kaito couldn't help but notice how tired the detective looked.

 _I know! I can take him on a trip tomorrow!_

X

Shinichi heard someone moving around his room. He knew it wasn't his mom since she would have pounced right away. The someone carefully sat on the edge of the bed. It wasn't his dad since he would have said something by now. Which left…Ran? No, that didn't seem right; she had gone to America for college. He groggily turned over and chose to ignore it.

Luckily for him, the person got up and left after a few minutes. Shinichi was too tired to think anymore, so he covered his face with the blanket and fell asleep.

The "someone" quietly closed the door after hearing the detective's snoring. "He must be exhausted; it's already 8:00!" The person chuckled and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Surprisingly, Yukiko was the only one up.

"Ah, Kai-chan! How did you sleep last night? I hope Yu-chan didn't keep you up…" She smiled and tightly hugged him.

"Where is your husband anyway? I figured he would be up by now…" Kaito squirmed out of the embrace and walked over to the refrigerator to find something for breakfast.

Yukiko chuckled. "He was up all night writing again, so he'll be in bed most of the day… What are you doing, Kai-chan?" She watched Kaito as he began to take ingredients out of the refrigerator.

"I'm making breakfast for everyone! This will help pay back for me staying the night…" He was cut off when Yukiko hugged him again.

"Oh, you're so sweet! But you know what little Ai-chan requested, right?"

Kaito sighed. "Yeah…" How could he forget? The little scientist had taken him out of class for an 'urgent request.'

 _"_ _Who are you?" Kaito had asked. "Why does a little girl like you need me?"_

 _Ai sighed and shook her head. "I guess I'll have to explain everything…but you may not believe me." She quietly explained the poison, the organization, and Shinichi._

 _Kaito gaped at her, completely forgetting his poker face. "So you're trying to say that the son of my godfather was shrunk by a poison and had to be Edogawa Conan for two years before an antidote was made? And that a secret organization with members dressed in black was behind it until it was disbanded?" He knew the organization already, but Shinichi was his Tantei-kun? Now_ that _was hard to believe. "How do you know all of this?!"_

 _Ai smirked. "You're rather perceptive…but you do bring up a good point. I am actually Miyano Shiho, aka Sherry, the one who made the poison. I took the pill in a cell expecting to die, but I was shrunk and managed to escape to a certain professor's."_

 _Kaito pinched the bridge of his nose. "And why do I need to know this?"_

 _Ai looked up to the magician with a serious expression. "Well, ever since he took that antidote, Kudou-kun has the occasional immune crash from solving so many cases a week. I want to move with the professor somewhere else, so…"_

 _"_ _You want me to watch over Tantei-kun?" Kaito smiled and ruffled her hair. "You bet I'll help!"_

 _Ai sighed in relief. "Alright, here are your instructions…"_

"Kai-chan, don't go spacing out on me!"

Kaito blushed a little in embarrassment. "Sorry…um, how does everyone want their eggs?"

Yukiko giggled. "I'll have fried, Yu-chan will want poached, and Shin-chan likes scrambled…can you make all that?"

Kaito grinned. "Course I can! My mom ensured that I could cook a large number of things, after all."

Yukiko knew his mother, so she merely watched the magician while he cooked the breakfast.

"Yukiko-neesan, could you wake up Shinichi?" Kaito inquired after a few minutes of silence. "The little scientist insisted that he eats all of his meals."

Yukiko frowned. "I don't think we should…He'd probably be cranky and worn out all day!"

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "How about I bring him breakfast in bed?" he offered. "Do you have a tray I could use?"

Yukiko pouted a little as she pulled out the tray. "He sure is lucky; Yu-chan _never_ does that anymore!" She ruffled Kaito's hair while he placed Shinichi's breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon on the tray. He carefully carried the tray of food upstairs and opened the door to Shinichi's room.

The second time his door opened, Shinichi was deeply asleep and snoring. He didn't hear the door or smell the food. He didn't even hear it when the tray was set on the nightstand. What finally woke him was when Kaito sat on the edge of the bed and shook him. He sleepily sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Who's there…?" He opened his eyes and gasped when he saw the grinning magician. "W-what are you doing here?!"

Kaito faked a hurt expression. "I thought the little scientist told you, _Tantei-kun_! She will be moving with the professor and asked me to keep an eye on you." He gestured to the tray. "She told me that you need a lot to eat, so this should be enough…"

Shinichi sighed. "Right…I remember Agasa-hakase mentioning that a few days ago, but I didn't think that Haibara was going with him!" He started to eat but quickly noticed that he had quite the struggle (he was trembling). He knew that was bad, but he also knew that he had to eat something.

Kaito noticed this. "Hey, are you okay?" He allowed himself to show a hint of concern.

Shinichi tried to keep his expression blank, but he did look a little paler. "I think I'm still tired…" Even if he was struggling, he managed to eat everything on the tray.

"Ah! Here's this since I'm so nice…" Kaito pulled a thermos of black coffee from nothingness and handed it to Shinichi, who gratefully grabbed it and started chugging.

About halfway through the thermos, Shinichi wiped his mouth and put it on the nightstand.

Kaito gave him a questioning look. "What's up? Your mom said you always drink coffee…"

Shinichi moaned and turned over away from the magician. "I just need to sleep for a while…"

Kaito looked at the detective sadly. "Will you be okay? I was hoping we could do something later."

Shinichi chuckled quietly. "I'm just drained; I'll do whatever you had planned later today. There's no need to worry either since I'm fine once I wake up on my own!" There was a small period of silence before quiet snores came from his mouth.

Kaito snickered and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Sleep well, _Tantei-kun_ …"

X

When Kaito returned to the kitchen with the tray and thermos, Yusaku was sitting beside his wife and sipping a mug of coffee.

"Ah, good morning, Kaito!" Yusaku gave a half-tired smile. "Tell me; where's the _Chiisana Tantei_?"

Kaito, feeling himself start to blush, turned toward the sink and started to wash the dishes. "He's still in his room. I got him to eat everything and drink half of this thermos before he went back to sleep. Oh!" He turned to the Kudous with a grin on his face. "I have a plan for today with Shinichi, but I'll need your approval…" He explained his plan, which was surprisingly simple.

Yusaku pursed his lips. "I don't know…" he whispered, a hand at his chin. "Lately, he doesn't want to go out since the cases seem to follow him everywhere."

Yukiko nodded in agreement. "But wouldn't it be nice? It's sad that Shin-chan is always at home or solving a case…besides, yesterday was his birthday!" She pouted to her husband until he finally gave in.

"Alright…you have our consent." He looked Kaito in the eye with a serious expression. "Please make sure to keep an eye on our son; he tends to forget about his health and safety."

Kaito felt a smile tug at his lips. "No problem, I'll make sure he enjoys himself and has no cases!"


	2. Surprise 1: Who Was That?

Surprise One: Who was That?

When Shinichi finally woke up, it was already 1:30 in the afternoon. _Wow, I must have been exhausted!_ He sat up and yawned, instinctively turning to his bedside. Once his eyes were open, he gasped in surprise. Kaito was sitting in the desk chair, and his head had fallen on his shoulder when he dozed off.

Shinichi smirked and shook him. "Oi, sleepyhead!"

Kaito let out a huge yawn. "Says the one that slept all morning!" He laughed and sat next to the detective, wrapping an arm around his waist. "How would you like to go somewhere today?"

Shinichi paled. "That's not a good idea…Every time I go somewhere, there's always a case! Do you think I enjoy so many people dying?" He turned to the magician, a fire in his eyes.

Kaito patted Shinichi's shoulder in reassurance. "You know, your parents are upset that you never enjoy yourself…plus, yesterday was your birthday! Why don't you relax just this once? You're always so tense; loosen up!"

Shinichi sighed and slightly relaxed his shoulders. "I guess you're right; I should have a little break! Alright Kaito, what do you have in mind?"

Kaito grinned. "I thought you would never ask, _Tantei-kun_! Since I know you like simplistic things, I've planned a day at the park in Takayama; here's your train ticket." He pulled a blue ticket out of his pocket and gave it to Shinichi. "As for meals, they have tons of stands in the area!"

Shinichi felt himself smiling as Kaito dragged him out of the house all the way to the train station. _I suppose he's right… All I've done is solve cases and worry about college courses; it gets rather tiring._ He and Kaito talked for a while about random topics until he pulled out a thick detective book.

"Is it fine if I read for the rest of the way?" he asked, gesturing to the book and blushing a little.

Kaito laughed. "I don't mind at all!" Smiling gladly, Shinichi opened the book and was immediately absorbed. Kaito decided to make a game of watching the detective's changing expressions. For a moment, it would be one of deep thought. Then, it would change to revelation. After that, it was either satisfaction when the culprit was revealed or surprise when a new trick was thrown in.

When the train stopped at Takayama, Shinichi didn't even notice. He _did_ notice when his book was snatched out of his hands by a snickering magician.

"Come on, _Tantei-kun_! We have to hurry before they run out of the good ones!" He led Shinichi off the train and out of the station.

"Bakaito…" he muttered before grabbing his book back. "Um, Kaito, where exactly are we going? I thought the park was that way…"

Kaito faked a surprised expression. "Oops, I must have forgotten to tell you. We're going to the festival and buying yukatas!"

Shinichi's eyes widened. "A festival?" He couldn't recall ever going to one before, let alone wearing a _yukata_. "Are you sure this is okay? I can help pay if you want…"

Kaito bonked him on the head. "No way, _aho_! This is a late birthday gift from me, which means _I_ buy!" He dragged Shinichi into a yukata shop and told him to pick one he liked before running to the back corner.

Shinichi sighed. _I guess he does have a point…_ With a smile on his face, he looked through the shelves and racks before finding one he liked.

"Sir, will you need help tying that?" A voice asked as Shinichi tried it on in the changing room.

Shinichi opened the door with the ribbon in his hands and blushed a little. "Could you help me?" he shyly inquired.

The employee laughed and helped him before leaving to help other customers.

"Oi, Shinichi!" Kaito waved and came up to him before gasping in surprise. The detective had picked a sapphire blue yukata and white ribbon; it seemed to make his eyes shine even brighter. "Wow, you look great!"

Shinichi felt his face burn in embarrassment. "Thanks…" He looked up slowly to see Kaito's yukata. He sure outdid himself with the black fabric and glittery gold symbols. For some reason, Shinichi had a feeling of déjà vu when he saw the flashy outfit that made him a bit dizzy.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kaito showed slight alarm as he asked and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Ignoring the feeling again, Shinichi nodded, and they walked to the front to pay for the yukatas. "Are you sure you're okay paying for all this?" he asked again.

Kaito rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet. "I already said its fine! After all, this is _your_ birthday present!" He paid for the yukatas, and the two made their way to the park that the festival would take place at. Kaito chatted the whole walk there, but Shinichi was deep in thought.

 _That's twice now that I've felt something off about Kaito, but I can't place it… Maybe I just met him before when I was really young._ He forced himself to change his thoughts to the book he was reading earlier.

"Oi, Shin-chan!" Kaito playfully ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Whatcha thinking about?"

Shinichi's eyes narrowed, not missing a beat. "Don't call me that," he muttered. "Only my mom calls me that." Thankfully, they had arrived at the festival, which was just starting.

"Wow…" As Kaito paid for entrance tickets, Shinichi started looking around. There were stands lined up on both sides of the path and even a Ferris wheel. "This is neat!"

Kaito grinned and dragged the detective inside. "Come on; let's have some fun and enjoy ourselves!" And so they did. They ate tons of snacks and played games until it grew dark out. Shinichi found it odd that Kaito had no sign of leaving.

"Um…isn't it getting pretty late, Kaito?"

Kaito laughed. "We have yet to experience the best part!" He led Shinichi to a meadow and placed down a picnic blanket. He sat down and gestured for Shinichi to do the same.

Shinichi nervously did so, and Kaito wrapped an arm around him. "You're going to love this!"

Just then, a bright light flew into the air with a 'boom.' Then another few lights did the same; it was a firework show. Shinichi gasped. "It's incredible!" A smile made its way on his face as he moved closer to the magician. "Thank you…for all of this." His eyes sparkled when he faced Kaito.

Kaito lightly elbowed Shinichi. "I've _told_ you enough times; this is merely a gift! But I'm glad you're enjoying yourself…"

Shinichi rested his head on Kaito's shoulder. "It's awesome to go somewhere and not have a case…and not have your adrenaline rushing to keep you going…" He then—unintentionally—dozed off right there and then.

Kaito considered waking the detective but chose not to when seeing the dark circles under his eyes. Surprisingly, Shinichi stayed asleep for the rest of the show before he was woken by all of the people leaving.

"Wha…?" Shinichi sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Kaito, you let me doze off?" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "When do we have to leave? Did I sleep through the _whole_ firework show?!" His eyes widened.

Kaito laughed as they both stood up. "Well, you _do_ look tired!" After changing out of their yukatas, they chatted all the way back to the train station.

Once they were in their own compartment, Shinichi failed to stifle a huge yawn. Kaito smirked. "How about you sleep during the ride home?" He produced a blanket out of nowhere and handed it to Shinichi.

Shinichi put the blanket over himself but declined the offer. "I know I'm exhausted, but I'm trying to get a normal sleep schedule… I'll read this until we get home." He pulled out his book and started reading.

Kaito chuckled. "Suit yourself…" He leaned back and decided to take a quick nap.

Shinichi looked up from his book and noticed Kaito asleep. He smiled and placed the blanket on the magician before opening his book again. After a few pages, he noticed his vision starting to blur. He tried his best to keep himself awake but knew he wouldn't last long. Eventually giving up, he leaned his head against the cool glass window and closed his heavy eyes, falling asleep and snoring.

About ten minutes later, Kaito yawned and sat up straight. Noticing the blanket, he looked over to Shinichi and snickered quietly. The detective was fast asleep and snoring softly with the book lying open on his stomach. After snapping a picture and sending it to the little scientist, Kaito picked up the book and put the bookmark in the correct page before placing the blanket over him.

Right when he sat back down, his phone chimed.

 _Where are you two? Has he been eating plenty?_

 _Don't worry, my little scientist! I took him to the festival in Takayama for some R &R. As for food, he's eaten three meals a day._

 _From that, I can presume there were no cases. It is good that you did that; he really needed it._

 _Now who's the smart one?_

 _Don't push it. Just… be careful. Try and get him home without a case popping up, or else he won't ever want to leave._

 _You bet!_

X

When the train stopped, Kaito was surprised. _It's already been two hours?_ He looked out the window, but they weren't at the train station. _Uh-oh…is it a case?_ He turned to Shinichi with fear, but he was still snoring. Patting him on the head, Kaito quietly left the room and locked it from the outside—just to be safe.

 _Sorry Tantei-kun, but today's your day off!_ He rushed past the slowly-growing crowd to the dining car, where there was indeed a body. It was a woman looking about 30 in a suit; she was most likely in real estate, a slightly sickened Kaito figured. From all the blood and gunpowder around the head, the cause of death was obviously a gun with a silencer.

Kaito sighed. _I'll have to do all the work for him, won't I?_ He asked around to see if anyone saw a guy that looked suspicious. Sure enough, all of the people in the dining car thought of one man.

"Could someone describe him?" Kaito asked.

A freckled boy, looking about seventeen, slowly stepped forward. "I can explain everything that happened. I was eating some chocolate cake when I heard a crash. The woman had just died, so most people focused on her. However, I saw the killer: a man in solid black with a pistol and silencer. I tried to chase after him, but he jumped out the window when the train slowed down."

Figuring complex equations in his head, Kaito realized that the killer most likely survived. Even so, he knew the area needed searched. "Wait…can someone confirm this boy's story?"

Most of the people in the room raised their hands. "We also saw the man in black."

Kaito's eyes widened as he turned paler. _Hang on…man in black? Could it be_ them _? Are they not disbanded after all?!_ He shook his head to rid himself of the thought. "We'll need the police to search the area."

Just then, Inspector Megure entered the train. "Where is Kudou-kun?" he asked the magician. "I was told that you are taking care of him…"

Kaito smiled. "Shinichi is sleeping in our compartment; it's his day off, so I didn't want him seeing this."

Inspector Megure hummed in agreement. "That's good… I worry sometimes with all of those cases he has; he had two yesterday afternoon!" He smirked. "But it looked like _you_ were doing his job…"

Kaito blushed a little. "Y-yeah, I thought it would be helpful…" He explained to the inspector what he found out. "Also, I'm figuring that if the killer jumped when it was slowing down, he most likely survived, meaning he's somewhere nearby."

Inspector Megure sighed. "Alright, thank you for helping Kudou-kun. Now, you can let the police handle this. You should get some rest; you look exhausted!"

Kaito thanked him and walked away with a yawn. When he unlocked the door, he was relieved to see the snoring detective. _It's almost as if he knows not to wake up!_ Snickering, he sat down and leaned his head on Shinichi's shoulder, closing his eyes and drifting off with one thought on his mind.

 _Tantei-kun, I know you love a good mystery, but there's something about this case…that I want you away from at all costs!_


	3. Surprise 2: Hiding the Truth?

Surprise Two: Hiding the Truth?

What was that feeling? There was something warm and slightly damp on his neck. Shinichi slowly opened his eyes and turned toward the source. Kaito was next to him asleep with his lips on Shinichi's neck.

"K-Kaito!" Blushing furiously, Shinichi moved the magician away from him and tried to calm himself.

Yawning, Kaito awoke to find a red-faced detective. He snickered and ruffled his hair. "You're finally awake!"

Shinichi frowned. "Well _yeah_ , the train ride's only two hours!"

Kaito turned slightly pale and looked away. "Right…" He luckily had enough practice from being both magician and thief to keep his voice steady and expression blank. "Hey, we're at the station!" The train was slowing down, and there were bright lights outside.

Shinichi wiped sweat off his forehead and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness… Now we can go home and hit the hay."

Kaito's expression grew concerned. "Are you okay? Do you think you're getting sick?"

Ignoring the feeling of nausea, Shinichi shook his head. "Ever since I took that antidote, I've been prone to catching fevers; I almost always have one…" He hated to lie to Kaito, but he didn't want him worried. In reality, the fever was a sign that he would have an immune crash soon. They exited the train, and Shinichi was barely able to control his wobbly legs.

Kaito wouldn't buy Shinichi's lie. Since he was a magician/thief, he knew when someone was lying. "Here, I brought this just in case." He sat Shinichi down on a bench before handing him a pill and water bottle.

Shinichi sighed and took the pill, leaning back as dizziness overcame him. "Oh no…" He closed his eyes and put a hand to his head, growing _really_ pale.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shinichi! Are you alright?"

Giving up, Shinichi shook his head.

Kaito gathered his courage and picked up the detective piggyback. "Is it fine if we walk home?" he whispered once they left the station.

Shinichi buried his head in Kaito's warm back. "I don't care…" he mumbled. "Just get me home so I can go to bed!"

Kaito's expression saddened. "Does that mean that today wasn't fun?"

Shinichi laughed aloud as the dizziness slowly started to dissipate. "No, today was surprisingly fantastic! There weren't any cases; just time to relax and enjoy myself…"

Kaito noticed that Shinichi's voice was growing quieter. "Oi, don't go to sleep yet! We're almost home…" He looked down the road, where both Kudous were standing at the end of their driveway.

"Shinichi, can you get up?" He helped Shinichi back on his feet, and the two walked up to the house.

"Hey…" Shinichi hugged his parents and gave a tired smile. "Thanks for letting me and Kaito do that; it was fun."

Realizing that his son was oblivious to how late they were, Yusaku merely chuckled and told Shinichi to go to bed.

Shinichi laughed. "I'd be happy to!" He yawned and ran in the house, leaving Kaito and his parents alone.

"Kai-chan, why were you late? The festival ended four hours ago!" Yukiko tightly hugged the magician.

Kaito gasped. "It's already midnight?" he exclaimed before sighing. "Don't tell your son, but there was a murder on our train during the ride home. Also, there was an odd description for the killer…"

"What do you mean, Kaito?" Yusaku inquired as he adjusted his glasses.

Kaito looked Yusaku in the eye. "It was someone in solid black," he whispered in a dark tone.

Yukiko's eyes widened. "Is it one of them? I thought Ai-chan got rid of them all!"

Kaito merely shrugged. "It may just be a coincidence…um, could you solve it, Yusaku-kun? If Shinichi finds out that there was a case…" His voice trailed off as the picture formed in his mind.

Yusaku patted Kaito on the shoulder. "I'll talk to Megure in the morning. Oh! Can you come up with something to get Shinichi out of the house tomorrow?"

A happier image formed in Kaito's mind, and a grin made its way on his face. "You bet!"

X

It seemed that the night was peaceful, but Kaito had a nightmare that made him give up sleeping at 2:30 A.M. _Man, that's why I'm not a detective!_ Wiping away sweat, he stood up and began to walk to the living room. He stopped by Shinichi's door and peered in. The detective was completely covered by the blanket and loudly snoring. Kaito laughed and walked to the living room, plopping on the couch and flicking on the television.

Once the grandfather clock stroked six, he heard a slight sound coming from upstairs. Kaito smirked and went to the kitchen to start brewing the coffee. Sure enough, Yusaku strode into the kitchen a few minutes later and poured himself some coffee.

"Oh, good morning, Kaito; you're up rather early." Yusaku lightly hugged Kaito before returning to his drink.

Kaito forced a laugh. "Yeah, I guess I wasn't that tired…"

"I noticed the TV was turned on last night," Yusaku interrupted. "Did you not sleep well?"

Kaito sighed and slumped his shoulders. "I guess you could say that…" He turned to face the elder detective. "How can you sleep at night after seeing a body?"

Yusaku chuckled. "I won't deny that it was hard at first, but it grew easier as I solved more of them. It made me feel better with the fact that I had the ability to solve it." He looked closely and noticed how tired the magician looked. "Will you be alright taking my son out today?" he asked with a frown.

Kaito smiled. "I'll be fine…" But he was letting out a huge yawn.

Yusaku patted him on the back. "Go get some sleep; you'll feel a lot better." Kaito nodded and made his way to the couch. It took him less than a minute to find himself in a deep sleep.

When Shinichi woke up an hour later, he was surprised to find Kaito asleep and snoring on the couch. "Why is he here?" he wondered aloud.

Yusaku was about to reply when he remembered Kaito's warning. "Well, I believe he said he didn't sleep well." It _was_ partially true, so he knew his son wouldn't see through it.

Shinichi looked back at Kaito. "Do you think we should stay home so he can rest?"

Yusaku tried his best to not look panicked. "No, he should be fine in a few hours. Besides, I remember him saying he wanted to take you somewhere today…"

Shinichi sighed and decided to wait until Kaito woke. Sitting in the recliner, he pulled out his detective book and was instantly absorbed.

Once Yukiko finally got up at 9:15, Shinichi noticed that Kaito wasn't there. "Where did Kaito go?" He put down his book and went to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

Yukiko ruffled her son's hair. "Yu-chan said that Kai-chan got up over an hour ago, but you were too busy with your _detective book_ to notice!" She giggled. "He's in his room getting ready for your trip to…"

"No, don't tell him just yet!" Kaito entered the kitchen with a grin. "I still want him surprised, after all. Alright _Tantei-kun_ , eat some breakfast and get ready fast or else we won't have time for fun!"

Shinichi frowned. "Okay, but where are we going?"

Kaito put a finger to his lips in response, so Shinichi quickly got ready and met the magician at the front door. "See ya!" They waved goodbye to the Kudou parents and left for the train station once again.

"Hey Kaito, where are we going?" Shinichi turned to Kaito, who was already rubbing his eyes. Laughing, he pulled a blanket out of his bag and handed it to him. "How long is this ride, anyway?"

Kaito smiled sleepily. "About five hours…" He yawned loudly and cuddled up to the detective. "Sorry about this," he whispered. "I had a nightmare last night and couldn't get back to sleep…"

Shinichi lightly bonked him on the head as he began to blush. "Just get some sleep… Wait, did you say five hours?"

Kaito hummed in agreement and closed his eyes. "I already have a hotel room prepared, as well as spare clothes for both of us."

"But Kaito, where are we…?" Hearing Kaito's snoring, Shinichi merely shrugged and pulled out his book. Before he knew it, he was asleep and dreaming.

X

Shinichi had an unusual dream. There was another murder, but the victim was a woman in solid black. He asked for information about the killer, but all he got was 'solid black clothes and long, silver hair.' He was about the search when he felt the cold metal of a gun at his temple.

"You have been alive for too long, _Tantei_."

Gasping for breath, Shinichi awoke with a start.

Kaito, who had been reading a thick black book, looked up and eyed Shinichi. "Are you okay?" he inquired. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Wiping away the cold sweat, Shinichi nodded. "I didn't think I'd _ever_ hear that voice again." He laughed. "I know it's not possible for it to occur since Haibara got rid of them all."

As if like magic, Kaito's phone chimed. Confused, he hit answer; it was Ai.

" _Where are you?_ " Her voice was completely different—instead of calm and collected, she sounded panicked.

"Um, I'm with Shinichi on a train," he whispered in the receiver. "Why, is something wrong?"

Ai sighed. "Do _not_ repeat this to him until he finds out about what happened yesterday… There was a spotting of Gin, the one that originally poisoned Kudou-kun."

Kaito wanted to show his surprise but expertly kept a poker face. "Alright, thanks!" He forced a cheerful tone and ended the call.

"Who was that?" Shinichi asked.

Kaito smiled in reassurance. "It was only your parents. They said that they'll be meeting old friends tomorrow and may not be home when we get back." He mentally patted himself on the back while Shinichi returned to his book, for he doubted his lie would have been believed. He figured that it happened so many times that Shinichi would never doubt it. However, he found it odd that someone as cunning as Gin could have been sighted.

 _I don't get it; that's almost as bad as someone seeing me take off the Kaitou Kid costume! Unless…could he have wanted to be spotted_ on purpose _?_ He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the detective's staring.

"Kaito, are you alright?" Shinichi inquired.

Kaito jumped a little. "S-sorry…I was just thinking about something." Thankfully, a young woman interrupted the conversation before Shinichi could ask any more.

"Um, would you boys like a snack from the trolley?" she shyly questioned.

Kaito stood up and eyed all of the food. "Do you want something to eat, Shinichi?"

Shinichi frowned. "Well, I am kinda hungry…" He started to take out his wallet, but the magician stopped him.

"No, today's on me!" With a grin, Kaito bought enough food to last the two boys until the next afternoon (hopefully).

Shinichi shook his head as he opened a granola bar and bit into it. "Kaito, you know you paid for yesterday too, right?"

Kaito pretended to be surprised. "Oh yeah!" He snickered. "Well, I guess I'll pay for these little trips." He ruffled Shinichi's hair before eating a chocolate bar.

"I'm not a kid, you know…" Shinichi mumbled. "I can take care of myself now!"

Kaito feigned a puzzled expression. "If I remember right, you were in elementary school two years ago." Seeing the glare, he laughed and snapped his fingers.

"What did you…?" Shinichi looked down, and his face instantly turned bright red. What he had on before was replaced with a larger version of his Teitan Elementary School uniform; there were even glasses on his face. "KAITO!"

Kaito sat there for a moment before snapping his fingers again to fix the outfit—he kept on the glasses for fun.

Shinichi sighed and plopped in the seat. "Kaito, _why_ did you do that?" He took off the glasses and closed his eyes. "And _why_ did you bring that?!"

Kaito shrugged. "I don't know; I guess it's a bad habit of mine from school…" He looked up and noticed Shinichi seemed paler. "Hey, are you doing okay?"

Shinichi forced a smile. "I'm fine…" A thermometer was stuck in his mouth, and it shot up to over 100°.

Kaito clucked his tongue. "You're getting sick, aren't you? Here, I brought this just in case." He held out a pill, but Shinichi refused to take it.

"I said I'm fine!" Shinichi tried his best to protest, and the slurring wasn't helping matters. Eventually, Kaito forced the pill in Shinichi's mouth with a slightly irritated expression.

"You have to take this to get better, Shin-chan!" Kaito covered the detective with a soft blanket and took the book away. "Now, get some rest and start worrying about yourself for once; you'll want to be recovered when we get there!"

Not saying anything about the nickname, Shinichi groaned as he began to sink into sleep. "Kaito…be careful."


	4. Surprise 3: Was it Sunburn?

Surprise Three: Was it Sunburn?

The train finally arrived at its destination, but Shinichi was still in a deep sleep from the pill. Smirking and rolling his eyes, Kaito picked him up in a piggyback and walked 15 minutes to their hotel room.

"Here's your key, Kuroba-san. Please enjoy your stay!" Kaito thanked the front desk clerk and clicked the button for the elevator.

"Kaito…" Shinichi spoke in a faint whisper. "Where are we?"

Kaito laughed quietly. "I'm taking you to our hotel room to rest up."

"What about your plan?" Shinichi asked softly.

The magician shrugged. "We still have tomorrow to do that; I'm more concerned about you resting."

Shinichi sighed as they entered the elevator. "Sorry for ruining it… I didn't think this would happen for a couple more days."

Kaito lightly bonked him on the head. "Oh, it's okay, _Tantei-kun_! Just focus on getting better by tomorrow so we can have fun…" The elevator door opened, and Kaito walked over to room 221 before inserting the key. It was a surprisingly nice room with two full beds, a 40" TV, and even a kitchenette. After placing their bags on the desk, Kaito laid the detective in the bed closest to the door and carefully covered him.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Shinichi opened his bloodshot eyes partially. "I feel so guilty about ruining your idea…"

Shaking his head and chuckling, Kaito sat down on the edge of the bed. "Shinichi, you are _sick_. You didn't even know it was coming! Just _get some sleep_."

Shinichi rolled away from Kaito and pretended to sleep so he'd stop worrying. Why couldn't he sleep? He was fretting about the nightmare he had—it was too odd.

 _I haven't had a dream about_ them _in over two years…so why now? Was it just because I went somewhere and didn't have a case? Or could it be another reason? I know it seems crazy since Haibara got rid of them, but I can't get rid of the feeling…_ He unintentionally let out a sob of frustration and fear.

Kaito looked up from his black book with a questioning expression. "Are you okay?" he inquired.

Hiding his tears, Shinichi stayed put. "I'm alright," he lied, "just can't get to sleep."

Kaito frowned. "Turn over," he instructed.

Shinichi gave up and did so, revealing his tears to Kaito. "I'm really worried after having this dream… It said that one of _them_ was back and killing again."

Expertly keeping his poker face, Kaito forced a laugh. "What? That's absurd! You know that the little scientist got rid of them all a while ago."

Shinichi bit his lip. "I guess you have a point there…" He yawned and closed his eyes before finally falling asleep.

Kaito snickered as he sat down beside Shinichi. "Sweet dreams, _Tantei-kun_ …and make sure to get better!"

X

When one of the employees entered room 221 with the ordered dinner, she couldn't help but smile after seeing both boys sound asleep. She looked closer at the one sitting up and gasped in recognition. "K-Kaito!" she whispered in shock.

The magician's indigo eyes slowly fluttered open. "Ah, it's Ahoko! I haven't seen you or your dad since high school. What are you doing at a place like this?"

Aoko's face burned as she remembered all of the tricks he pulled on her. "Bakaito…what are _you_ doing here? I _work_ here."

Kaito looked down to the person sleeping beside him and grinned. "Just keeping a promise…"

Aoko looked at Kaito with a surprised expression. _Wow, he's matured over the past two years!_ She found herself smiling as she laid out the food. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Kaito?"

Kaito chuckled softly. "No, I can take care of the rest." Aoko left the room, and Kaito went to wake up Shinichi.

"Come on, _Tantei-kun_ ; you need to eat something!" He shook Shinichi, who groggily sat up and swayed.

"What is it, Kaito?" Shinichi's eyes were half-lidded, and he slurred as he spoke. "Is something wrong? Was there a case?"

Kaito laughed. "No, nothing like that happened; you just need to eat dinner." He gestured to the table in the kitchenette.

Shinichi, with a hand to his head, moved to the side of the bed. He tried to stand, but his legs shook and his vision blurred. He fell backwards into Kaito's arms with a quiet moan.

"Shinichi!" Kaito sighed in an exasperated tone and moved Shinichi to the middle of the bed. "You can wait here; I'll get you something." Shinichi protested, saying he was fine, but Kaito got him a plate of pasta anyway.

"Eat up, then you can go back to sleep," Kaito instructed, oddly gentle.

Shinichi yawned a little before inhaling his food. A few minutes later, the plate was on the nightstand, and he was rubbing his eyes. "Okay…I am just _done_. Unless there's a case or emergency, please don't bother me for a while."

Smiling, Kaito lied down beside the detective and enveloped him in a warm embrace. "Just sleep…"

The next thing Kaito knew, it was already seven A.M. He sat up with a loud yawn and got up to stretch. He looked down at Shinichi and chuckled. Shinichi was still deeply asleep and loudly snoring with his arms already covering the area Kaito just slept in.

"It appears you're recovering quite well!" He walked over to the kitchenette and started brewing the coffee in hopes of waking Shinichi.

A few minutes later, the coffee was done, but neither the smell nor sound could wake him. Kaito considered waking him on his own but decided not to when remembering he wasn't usually a heavy sleeper. Actually, the little scientist said that he _never_ slept like this…unless his body was fighting an immune crash.

 _I guess you really_ do _need the sleep!_ He moved hair from Shinichi's sweaty sleeping face before absorbing himself in his book with a cup of highly-sweetened coffee beside him.

A little over an hour later, Shinichi rolled out of bed when the smell of coffee entered his nose. He looked over and saw Kaito reading the thick black book. Smirking, he stood up and made his way to the coffee machine. As he poured his mug, Kaito finally looked up and saw Shinichi.

"Oh, you're up!" He walked over and hugged Shinichi. "How are you feeling after the sleep?"

Shinichi smiled. "I feel a lot better! I _am_ a little sleepy still, but the coffee should help with that." As he drained his mug, Kaito checked his temperature. It was back to 98°, which was a huge relief.

Kaito beamed. "We can go to your surprise!" Since Shinichi had finished his coffee, the magician started to drag him out of the room.

"Kaito, wait! I haven't…" He looked down at himself and gasped. Somehow, his clothes had been replaced with a t-shirt and swim trunks. His face flushed as he realized Kaito must have done it. "When did you…?" He couldn't even finish the question with his embarrassment.

Kaito snickered at the detective's stuttering. "Last night when you were sound asleep. I figured you'd wake up when I did it, but you were _really_ far away in dreamland…"

Shinichi turned away with a sigh. _That means we must be going to the beach here…_ He frowned as he began to think. _Which means that there's a lot of ways for someone to be killed. How many will die today because of me?_ The two boys entered a rental car, and Kaito started to pull out of the parking lot. Shinichi looked out the window while he continued to think and even worry a little. _Will I have another serial murder? Will Kaito…? No, I won't let that happen!_ He felt a single tear slide down his face.

"Hey Shinichi, since you probably know where we're headed…" Kaito looked to Shinichi, and his expression saddened upon seeing the tear. "What's wrong? Are you still worried about that dream you had?"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, it's something else…"

Kaito decided to not say anything and parked beside the beach. "Shinichi, I don't know what's bothering you, but please try and enjoy yourself!"

Even if he looked a bit pale, Shinichi put a smile on his face as they exited the car and walked along the shore of the Shirahama Beach.

Just as they were about to enter the water, they heard their names being called in a particular accent. They turned around to see a woman with a baby and dark-skinned husband.

"Oi, it's Kudou an' Kuroba! What are ya doin' here? I thought that…"

Kaito enveloped him in a hug to interrupt. "Shinichi doesn't know about the case yet," he whispered.

"Ah, gotcha." Heiji removed himself from the embrace with a grin.

"We're here to let the _Chiisana Tantei-kun_ take a break!" Kaito chuckled and wrapped an arm around Shinichi's waist. "How about you guys? Did you come for little Akemi?"

Kazuha smiled. "Well, Heiji has been sayin' how tired I look an' how I need a break, so we planned this trip here fer everyone to have some relaxation an' fun."

Heiji sighed. "I wanted ya to go away _alone_ , but ya insisted that we all go… _obaa-han_." Earning a smack in the face, he laughed and turned to his old rival. "How's it been goin' with Neechan?"

Shinichi's expression briefly flickered with pain before a mask was thrown over it. "She hasn't really spoken to me since I told her." Since the organization was disbanded, Shinichi had immediately told Ran that he was Conan. At first, she was furious.

 _"Why did you not tell me until you came back?!" she exclaimed. "You could have when I saved your life with my blood!"_

 _Shinichi bit his lip. "Remember how I said a poison shrunk me? Well, there was a dark syndicate behind it that could have killed us. I had to tell Agasa-hakase so he could get me the gadgets and a place to stay, but I didn't tell anyone else. He told my parents, and Hattori deduced it on his own. As for Haibara…she was the one that made the poison." He briefly explained her involvement in the organization before falling silent and staring down at his cup of coffee._

 _Ran huffed. "That's hard to believe…for most people. I do believe you, Shinichi, but it's a lot to handle. When I'm ready, I will call you."_

"Yeah, I can believe that…" Heiji put a hand on Shinichi's shoulder. "But now we should put all that aside an' have some fun!" All five entered the water and started a game of volleyball.

A few hours later, Kaito noticed that Shinichi wasn't looking so good. "Are you okay?" He waded over and felt the detective's forehead. It was scorching hot, and there was no sweat.

Shinichi shook his head. "It's probably the movement of the waves that has me nauseous, so…" But Kaito was calling over Kazuha and Heiji as he picked up Shinichi in a princess-carry.

"What's up?" Kazuha asked while moving Akemi's floatation device to her side. "What's wrong with Shinichi?"

Shinichi closed his eyes to try and stop the dizziness and nausea. "I think it's just the waves…"

Kazuha pursed her lips. "Let's take him back to shore." So they all went back to the shaded area they picked and laid Shinichi on his towel.

"Hm…rapid heartbeat, shallow breathin', lack o' sweatin'…looks like heat stroke to me." Heiji sat down and placed cool, damp cloths on Shinichi's forehead and chest. "Why didn't ya say anythin', Kudou?"

With his eyes still closed, Shinichi sighed. "I knew this trip was meant for fun, so I didn't want to wreck it by leaving."

Kaito lightly shoved him. "Do you know how much your parents and the little scientist will worry when I tell them you had heat stroke? They'll be all over you about it!"

Kazuha pushed Kaito away from Shinichi. "Just let him rest for now; Akemi and I can stay here with him."

Heiji looked to Kaito with a smirk. "So now we can continue the championship."

Kaito grinned. "Oh yeah!" They rushed back into the water to find their volleyball.

"Heiji-kun, what's this?"

"Hm?" Heiji went over to Kaito, where there was a huge, red something partially under the water. "What _is_ that?" He dove under to get a closer look. For a few seconds, there was silence. Then, a large amount of bubbles floated to the surface, and Heiji came back up with wide eyes. "It's a…" He leaned to Kaito's ear. "A body!"

Kaito allowed himself to show his shock and turn pale. "Here?! How is _that_ even one of those?"

Heiji merely shrugged. "I know it's one from the opened eyes and teeth. If I knew how it got to be like that, we might get somewhere…" Just then, his phone chimed.

"You brought your phone?" Kaito asked.

Heiji nodded as he pulled it out. "It really pays to have a waterproof phone!" He looked down and saw the message was from Kazuha.

 _Are you two done with your game? I want to take Shinichi back to his room so he can cool down quicker._

 _Um…don't tell Kudou, but there was a body. We're gonna get as much as we can before callin' the police._

 _Okay. Shinichi said he can walk with help, so I'll get him back to rest for a while. Good luck, Tantei-han!_

Heiji sighed in relief and put his phone away. "Good. Kazuha is dealin' with Kudou, so ya can help me with…" He turned to Kaito, who was already lifting the body to the surface. He laughed a little and started figuring what he knew. Since the skin was red and puffy, you couldn't even feel the bones, fingers, or toes. You could slightly make out the arms and legs, but not very well.

"Maybe it's just a big sunburn!" Kaito joked.

Heiji frowned. "Well, I dunno how else to scientifically explain it… I'll just call the police an' Megure, then we can go back to see how Kudou's doin'." He did so, and they left the beach in Kaito's rental car.

"Thank you, Heiji-kun…for not telling Shinichi." Kaito briefly showed an expression of gratitude as he finally spoke.

Heiji chuckled and patted his shoulder. "No problem! I was told by his ol' man that he's always on a case; besides, ya said yerself that ya an' Kudou came fer a break. To be honest, I haven't had a case fer meself since Akemi was born, so it feels kinda good to have the adrenaline runnin' again!"

Kaito smiled and shook his head. "I'll never get you detectives, but I'm fine as long as Shinichi's well taken care of!" He pulled into the parking lot of the hotel, and the two boys quickly went to room 221.

Kazuha put a finger to her lips. "Ssh…he just fell asleep." She pointed to the bed, where Shinichi was curled up on his side away from them and snoring softly. "He wanted to stay awake fer you two since he was worried…"

Heiji's eyes widened. "Did he say somethin' along the lines o' 'too long fer a volleyball game'?"

Kazuha nodded silently.

Kaito cursed to himself. _Shinichi, you're just too smart to keep away from this! Knowing your horrendous luck, that body we found was the result of that organization… Oh, why couldn't they just stay disbanded?_


	5. Surprise 4: How Much is Known?

Surprise Four: How Much is Known?

After a couple hours of chatting, the Hattori family wanted to leave the hotel room.

"We need to be headin' home," Heiji spoke in a quiet voice to not wake his fellow detective. "I also need to talk to the police about ya-know-what." With a couple hugs, they left the room, where only the detective and magician remained.

Kaito smirked. "Now it's only us, _Tantei-kun_." He sat down beside the curled up Shinichi and was about to doze off when he realized that he didn't tell the Kudous that they'd be there another day. He quickly grabbed his cell phone and dialed Yusaku's number.

"Hello?"

"It's Kaito."

"Ah, Kaito! I was wondering why you weren't home yet. Are you still on the train?"

"Um, not necessarily…you see, Shinichi got a bit of heat stroke while we were hanging out with Heiji-kun and his family."

Yusaku gasped. "Is he alright…?" Suddenly, a different voice spoke. "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SHIN-CHAN?"

Kaito sighed. "Yukiko-neesan, there's no need to fret. He got a bit of heat stroke today since the Hattoris were with us. We made sure to take him back to the room so he could cool off and rest. He's doing a lot better now; we should be able to leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Yusaku snatched the phone back from his wife and told her to start the coffee. "Alright, thank you for the information, Kaito…but I have one question before I go: Was there a case?"

Kaito's eyes widened. "How could you tell?"

Yusaku chuckled. "I just know when there's a murder. Did my son discover it, or was it after he was taken to your room?"

Kaito frowned. "He was thankfully away, but…it wasn't much of a body." He quietly explained what he and Heiji discovered in the ocean after making sure Shinichi was still asleep and not eavesdropping.

Yusaku quickly jotted down everything before thanking Kaito again and ending the call.

Kaito huffed as he put the phone away. "You are becoming quite the troublesome one, _Tantei-kun_. It will be only a matter of time until you are caught in this; that is why I'm here to help. You will have trouble at first, but you must embrace your inner human at some point!"

X

Shinichi groggily opened his eyes and sat up. _It's still daytime?_ He looked at the alarm clock and saw it was 7:30 A.M, meaning he slept for almost 18 hours. _Wow, I guess the dizziness I had wore me out…_ He yawned and looked over to the other bed. Kaito was spread across it on top of the blanket and loudly snoring. Shinichi knew Kaito was up late from the dark circles under his eyes.

He sighed. _Now you're starting to act like me!_ After a cup of black coffee, he packed their bags in the rental car before carrying Kaito piggyback to the passenger seat. Surprisingly, the magician didn't wake up until they arrived at the train station.

"Shinichi…?" He groaned drowsily. "You drove us here? Aren't you still feeling the effect of the heat stroke you had yesterday?"

Shinichi's eyes widened. "That was heat stroke?" he exclaimed.

Kaito nodded, a puzzled expression on his face. "How much do you remember?" They grabbed the bags and entered the train.

Shinichi sat down in their compartment with a frown. "The last thing I remember was playing volleyball with Hattori and Kazuha. After that, it's all blurry…"

Kaito smiled sleepily and yawned. "I guess that's not surprising; thankfully, you didn't miss anything…" He let out another yawn as he pulled out two blankets and handed one to Shinichi. "Here, you can nap too since its five hours to home." He lied down and was immediately out.

Shinichi smirked. "Now, I get to care for you." After ruffling Kaito's hair, he pulled out his detective book and decided to read until he felt tired. However, he was still awake when the train stopped in Beika.

"Mmm…" Kaito sat up and stretched. "That was a great nap!" He felt he was in a better mood since he got to pull the best prank on Nakamori-keibu in his dream. "How did you sleep, Shinichi?"

Shinichi looked down slowly. "I-I didn't…"

Kaito gasped. "Shinichi, I told you to rest since _you_ were the one that had heat stroke!" He huffed and ranted all the way to the Kudou household. For some reason, there was a piece of paper taped to the door.

 _To Kaito and Shinichi,_

 _This is very unexpected, but Yukiko and I will be traveling to the US for a few weeks. She has landed herself the lead role in a soap opera and has to be there tomorrow evening for outfits and makeup. I wish it wasn't so soon, but this is a good deal for her._

 _Shinichi, I know you're used to being alone all the time, but Kaito is here to help you. Let him know when something is wrong or you feel ill. Don't surprise us with an immune crash out of nowhere or else Haibara-san will consider moving back! Let Kaito protect you when you don't have the strength. Make sure to enjoy yourselves!_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Yusaku Kudou_

Shinichi read through it silently with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"What does it say?" Kaito asked finally.

Shinichi sighed. "Apparently, Kaa-san got another job in the US, so she and Tou-san will be gone for a few weeks." He chose to keep the rest of the letter to himself.

Kaito faked a pouty face. "Aw, that means we'll be all alone in this big house!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "In case you didn't know, I've had to stay here alone on numerous occasions! It can actually be nice to have the peace and quiet…"

Kaito slightly undid the face. "Okay…" They entered the home, and Kaito immediately understood why Shinichi liked it: there was no one else there, so he could read, solve cases, sleep, or do whatever else he wanted without people hovering over him.

A smile made its way on the detective's face. "How about we play some games?" he offered. "There's a large amount of puzzle games in the library." Kaito didn't mind, so they went to the library and played the games until they were both yawning.

"Well," Shinichi rubbed at his eyes, "I think we should call it a day."

Kaito nodded in agreement and left the room while Shinichi put away the game. However, Shinichi did not go to bed after the game was in its place.

 _It's been four days since I've had any cases… If it was one or maybe two, I wouldn't feel this odd. I know I'm super tired since that crash will happen in a couple days, but I still need to go through my dad's files!_ Shinichi quietly made his way to Yusaku's office and started looking through the newest files. Finally, he found it.

 _Case No. 4869 Date: 5-05_

 _Details: Two deaths (second on 5-07). Second body is unrecognizable, but the first is a woman looking about 30 with a close-range shot to the head. Naturally, both were when "he" was close by. First case has suspect of a man in black._

Shinichi backed away in shock. _No…that's impossible!_ Flashbacks of his life as the shrunken detective Edogawa Conan came to him, making him lose consciousness from the suddenness.

Kaito, having heard the crash, rushed to the source to see what happened. There, he found Shinichi collapsed by the desk and jerking around in pain. _A seizure?_ Following the advice given to him, he sat beside Shinichi and waited for the after-seizure phase of deep sleep before carefully carrying him to bed.

"I guess your immune system was already close to crashing when you happened to get heat stroke…that just sped it up!" Oblivious to the fact that Shinichi knew about the case, Kaito sat down at his bedside and dialed Ai's number.

"What do you want, Kuroba-kun? Don't you know how late it is?" Ai's voice had a bored tone to it as she spoke.

Kaito placed a cool, wet cloth on Shinichi's forehead with a sigh. "I know it's late, but I'm afraid _Tantei-kun_ has had a crash. I got him through the seizure, but didn't you say there's more afterward?"

Ai groaned. "That heat stroke probably triggered it to come quicker… You said the seizure is already dealt with, so now he will have symptoms of a severe flu for the next few days. Just keep him in the house and away from _all_ cases. As for medications…" She gave the magician very strict instructions for literally everything.

Kaito snickered. "Thanks a bunch, my little scientist!"

Ai hung up, a small smile on her face, before preparing Professor Agasa's late-night snack.

"Ah, there you are, Ai-kun!" He gladly took the plate of butter cookies and started munching on one. "Hm, these are better than the last ones!" He turned to Ai and noticed her smile. "Did something happen that I missed?"

Ai laughed softly. "Just a reminder of why I chose this…"

X

Kaito went to check on Shinichi the next morning and quickly saw that Ai was right. The poor detective was still lying in bed with an arm over his face and his eyes closed.

"Shinichi?" Kaito whispered as he sat down. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?"

Shinichi was about to lie, but the words of his father rang in his mind. Still not moving, he moaned a quiet "no."

Kaito looked at him with a sad smile. "I'm going to the kitchen to get your medicine; do you want something to eat or drink?"

"Well…" Shinichi hesitated. "I guess some ramen and green tea would be nice…but I hate to burden you like this. Are you sure it's okay doing all this for me?" Shinichi partially opened his bloodshot eyes.

Kaito ruffled his hair with a chuckle. "It's fine, _Tantei-kun_! After all, you can't do anything for yourself when you're this sick. Let me help you; the little scientist herself asked me to!" Feeling satisfied when Shinichi pulled out his book, Kaito went downstairs to get everything. Right when he finished placing everything on a tray, his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Kai-chan…is it true that Shin-chan had a crash?" Yukiko sounded like she had been crying all morning and was about to again.

Kaito sighed. "Yeah, he did when we were getting ready for bed. I called the little scientist, and she gave me instructions for what to do over the next few days."

"C-can I talk to him?" she asked quietly.

Kaito couldn't say no, so he carried everything upstairs and handed Shinichi the phone. "It's your mom."

"Hey, Kaa-san..." He tried to keep it casual but knew it wouldn't work.

"Shin-chan! Is what Ai-chan said really true?"

Shinichi groaned. "She probably over-exaggerated, Kaa-san. I just had a bit of a crash last night; I'll be fine in a few days."

Yukiko huffed. "You better let Kai-chan know when something's wrong… Even Sherlock Holmes had Watson for help, Shinichi." She then hung up, leaving her son speechless.

Kaito snickered. "What did your mom say to make you so surprised?"

Shinichi shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, nothing…" Before Kaito could interject, he quickly began eating his ramen. Even if he had a feeling of slight nausea, he managed to finish his meal.

Kaito grinned as he picked up the tray. "Now you can take a long nap…" For some reason, Shinichi was frowning. "Oi, what's up? Did I mess up the ramen?"

Shinichi laughed. "No, the food was great! It's just that…" He took a deep breath. "Whenever I'm really sick and tired, I tend to take multiple naps that aren't very long. I asked Haibara why that was, but even she was clueless!"

Kaito's expression saddened slightly. "Do you think it would help if I stayed in here with you?"

Shinichi merely shrugged as his eyes closed. "I wouldn't mind it though…" His voice trailed off as he fell into a light slumber.

Lying down his head beside the detective's sleeping form, Kaito too fell asleep. However, they were still oblivious to what would show up at their door in a few short hours…


	6. Surprise 5: An Extra Visitor?

Surprise Five: An Extra Visitor?

"Come on already! Don't you want to have the surprise snacks and cake?"

"I know, but you're too fast…" Two figures were running down the street to a house they thought had a certain professor. The girl was about to knock on the door when the boy stopped her.

"Look, Ayumi; there's no one home."

Ayumi gasped. "But Genta, what will we do with all of this food? Even you can't eat all of it!" She stopped herself with a grin. "How about we surprise Shinichi-kun?"

Genta liked the idea, so they ran to the next house and knocked on the door. "Shinichi-kun, it's us!"

Kaito, who was getting Shinichi his dinner, frowned in confusion as he looked out the window. "Hey, there are a couple kids at the door. Do you know them?"

Shinichi smirked. "Yeah, they're two of the Detective Boys. I told them who I was about a year ago since I felt they were old enough. You can let them in and tell them where I'm at; they aren't as rough as they used to be…"

Kaito ruffled his hair as he started eating. "You eat your meal, and I'll bring those kids up here." He quickly went downstairs and opened the door.

"W-who are you?" Ayumi asked, slightly defensive. "And where is Shinichi-kun?"

Kaito bowed. "I am Kuroba Kaito, great magician and man currently in charge of keeping an eye on Shinichi. Right now, he's in his room eating dinner…" He paused for a moment to give Ayumi a rose. "I'd advise to be careful; he had a little immune crash last night and is still sick."

Genta held up a large picnic basket and backpack. "Do you think we could all have some of the snacks we brought?"

Kaito tilted his head a little as he thought. "I don't know…"

Ayumi's eyes lit up as an idea struck her. "We have chocolate though…" she taunted.

Kaito sighed. "I guess…but we need to make sure Shinichi doesn't eat too many sweets." He let the kids inside and followed them to Shinichi's room.

"Hey, guys!" Coughing a little, Shinichi smiled and lightly hugged the kids. "It's been a while since you came over."

Genta gave a small apology. "We've actually gotten a lot of cases these past few months… Um, where are Haibara and Agasa-hakase? Their house was empty when we passed by."

Shinichi's eyes grew unfocused for a moment before he said anything. "Oh, I thought they told you already! The professor wanted to move somewhere bigger, and Haibara surprisingly went with him."

Ayumi jumped out of the daze she had been in ever since she hugged Shinichi. "W-what? She told us that she was on a trip and would be back in a few days!" She turned away to hide her tears.

Shinichi placed a hand on her shoulder. "There's no need to cry, Ayumi," he whispered in her ear. "She chose to go with the professor, and I know she'll come back to see you guys… She really cares about you." Even if she'd never said it to him, he knew he was right from how much she worried whenever Ayumi was kidnapped.

Ayumi's eyes widened. "T-thank you, Shinichi-kun." Wiping at her eyes, she turned around and sat at Shinichi's bedside. "Um, would you like a few snacks? We were originally going to surprise the professor, but…"

Shinichi smirked. "That's fine. Also, since it's already so late, you can stay the night. Kaito, can you hand me my…?" He suddenly experienced a coughing fit that left him extremely pale.

"Shinichi!" Kaito pursed his lips and lied Shinichi back down on the bed. "You're overworking yourself; I'll call their parents for you." With the kids' help, he was able to call both homes. For some reason, his voice sounded…exactly like Shinichi. He didn't mention a name in the conversations either.

Shinichi gaped at him. "Okay, _how_ did you do a perfect of my voice? More importantly, _why_ did you use my voice?"

Kaito grinned. "I don't know, Kudou-kun…" he spoke in Ai's voice. "I guess it comes as natural. Besides, it would be weird if it wasn't you talking!"

Shinichi sighed. "I should have known…you magicians always have tricks up your sleeve." Coughing a bit, he sat up and cut a piece of chocolate cake before handing it to Kaito. "Here, this is for you."

Kaito smiled sadly as he sat down in the desk chair. "You can have that, and I can cut my own. It's not hard!"

Shinichi lied back down and closed his eyes. "You know I'm not the chocoholic… besides, I'm not very hungry right now."

"Oh, I guess you don't want the surprise…"

"What surprise?" Shinichi popped an eye open.

"It's nothing _too_ special, but…" He snapped his fingers, and a thermos of coffee appeared in the detective's hands.

Shinichi eyed the mug instead of drinking right away. "It's a kind gesture, but I don't really feel like it right now."

"Shinichi-kun, you _do_ look tired…" Ayumi noted. "Perhaps we should continue this downstairs and let you sleep."

Shinichi yawned a "thanks" before turning over and falling fast asleep.

Kaito laughed softly. "You two can take the food down there while I take care of him," he whispered. The kids quickly left the room, so the magician was finally alone with Shinichi. "Sweet dreams…" He carefully placed blankets over Shinichi before kissing him on his warm, flushed cheek and returning downstairs.

"Thank you for letting us stay, Kaito-kun." Both kids bowed deeply with gratitude.

Kaito rolled his eyes. "You don't need to be so formal!" He chuckled as they all sat down on the floor. "I was thinking, and I remember seeing the Detective Boys in the newspaper a few years ago…a case about Kirin's Horn being taken by a thief. I already know about Edogawa Conan and Haibara Ai, but wasn't there a fifth member?"

Ayumi's expression flickered with pain as she looked downward. "You mean Mitsuhiko. He was our classmate until two years ago when he moved to America. You see, he was originally from there but abandoned here as a toddler. Tsubaraya-san found him crying in an alley and took him in. Thankfully, she knew enough English to understand him and helped him learn Japanese in time for preschool."

Kaito showed mild surprise. "Wow, he must have been through a lot! Did he return to his family?"

Ayumi nodded, a smile returning on her face. "Yup! We're all sad that he's gone but happy that he's back home with his real family."

Kaito dropped the subject, and they all played games and ate junk food until the two younger ones were starting to nod off.

"You know, you guys can go to bed if you're tired; the guest bedroom is open." Kaito failed to suppress a yawn.

Ayumi frowned. "But where will you sleep, Kaito?"

Kaito sat on the couch and pulled a blanket out of nowhere. "I'll sleep here, and you two can take the bedroom."

Both kids protested immediately. "No way!" Genta exclaimed. "You live here now, so that bedroom's rightfully yours!"

"Kaito, you should be closer to Shinichi-kun!" Ayumi wrapped him in a tight hug and started to silently cry. "You need to stay by him and keep him safe and healthy…"

Kaito patted Ayumi on the head. "I know you care for him deeply, but he'll be okay! He just has the flu since that crash came, so he'll be just fine in a few days." Somehow, that was able to comfort the kids enough to head upstairs for bed. Kaito chuckled quietly as he lied down on the couch. _They just worry too much… Shinichi will be just fine!_

X

A person carefully climbed up to Shinichi's bedroom window. Since it's always unlocked, the person opened it and quietly made their way to Shinichi's bedside. Watching the detective as he slept, the person's eyes narrowed. _I hate you…_ They pulled out a sleeping pill and knife to begin the evil scheme. First, the pill so Shinichi wouldn't wake up right away from the pain. Then, the knife—this person's favorite part. The person made an impressive gash to the stomach before putting the bloodied knife in a bag and escaping the same way they entered.

A few hours later, Shinichi awoke and was stunned by the utter silence. _Is Kaito still asleep? I get the kids being asleep, but Kaito? He seems to get less sleep than me when I'm solving a serial murder! Maybe he just stayed up super late…_ He began to sit up, but a sharp pain lanced through him.

 _Wha…what was that?_ He felt at his stomach—the source of his pain—and touched something warm and wet. It was blood. Falling back as his vision started to blur, he tried to call out. However, his voice was too hoarse to utter a sound. _Kaito…please wake up and help me…I need you!_

Unluckily for Shinichi, it was another two hours before Kaito opened his eyes. Yawning and sitting up, he was shocked to see the time. "Those kids wore me out!" He stood up after a long stretch and made his way upstairs to check on Shinichi. He was surprised to see Shinichi deeply asleep this late. "And you said you wouldn't sleep well!" He threw off the blankets to try to wake him and almost fainted when he saw the blood and wound.

"Ayumi! Genta!" Panicked, the only thing he could do was call out to the little detectives. They rushed into the room with confused expressions. "What's wrong, Kaito?"

Kaito, who was blocking Shinichi from their sight, attempted to put on a poker face. "Um, I need you guys to get the first-aid kit; his, um, medicine is in there." He hated to lie, but he also didn't want them as worried as he was.

Genta immediately ran out, but Ayumi stayed put. "Is there something wrong with Shinichi-kun?" she innocently asked.

Kaito gave a shaky smile. "N-no, he just really needs his medicine…"

"Why couldn't you get it?" Ayumi put a hand on her hips.

Kaito couldn't hide the flinch, so Ayumi walked over and saw the blood around her secret crush. "Shinichi…" Her eyes rolled back in her head as she fell backwards into Kaito's arms.

"Here it is!" Genta returned to the room, eyes widening as he saw the scene before him. "Whoa! What happened?"

Kaito carefully put on a poker face while helping Ayumi back to her feet. "I think someone attacked him last night." He kept his voice steady and calm to keep the kids from panicking. "For now, we should treat his wound and see how he is when he wakes up."

Ayumi smiled a little. "Maybe he knows who attacked him!"

"That's the spirit! Now, help me with him." The kids held Shinichi upright, and Kaito wrapped the bandage tightly around the cut. "Alright, lie him back down and get the blankets; I'm going to call Haibara and tell her what happened."

The kids saluted. "We will take good care of him!" Kaito thanked them and made his way downstairs to the house phone.

"Hello?" Ai sounded slightly annoyed.

"Haibara, Shinichi was attacked last night."

There was a crashing sound. " _What_?!"

Kaito sighed heavily. "Yeah, I was surprised too. I found him bleeding from a stomach wound when I checked on him this morning, so the kids helped me treat it."

"Kids? Did Yoshida-san and Kojima-kun come over?"

Kaito smirked and explained their sudden appearance from the previous night. "Actually, they've grown to be pretty good detectives!"

"Indeed…" Ai's voice suddenly dropped. "Kaitou Kid-san."

Kaito's mouth fell open in shock. "You—how do you know?!"

Ai chuckled. "Let's say I know many things, Kuroba-kun." She paused for a moment. "As for Kudou-kun's situation, he should be fine as long as he takes the painkiller with his regular medicine, stays hydrated, and eats plenty. When he's awake and not delirious, try and find out if he remembers anything concerning the attack."

Kaito thanked her and ended the call before returning to Shinichi's bedroom. "Alright kids, you should start getting your things rounded up to leave."

Both kids gasped. "What about Shinichi-kun? We need to stay here!"

Kaito patted them on the heads. "I know you're worried about him, but you have school tomorrow. I can take care of him, and you can call tomorrow afternoon for an update."

The kids reluctantly agreed and left for home after whispering a good-bye to Shinichi. Kaito sighed in relief as he sat at Shinichi's bedside. "I thought they'd never leave…" He looked up and saw the detective's azure eyes slowly fluttering open.

"Kaito…" Shinichi put an arm over his face. "Why's everything so blurry? What happened?" His voice was quiet and slurring, showing he was indeed delirious.

Kaito smiled sadly. "You were attacked, Shinichi. How do you feel pain-wise?"

"I was attacked? Were you hurt too?"

Kaito laughed. "No, I'm fine! But how are _you_ doing?"

Shinichi moved his arm away, revealing a very concerned expression. "I hurt all over… everything's so spinny…but Kai-kai knows what to do." He then passed out cold.

Kaito's eyes widened. _Did he just call me 'Kai-kai?' He's either_ really _out of it or actually—no way…_ Snickering a little, he fed Shinichi his medicine before starting his defense mechanisms around the house.

 _Hopefully, these traps can prevent this from happening again._

X

A soft warmth was enveloping Shinichi; he didn't want to open his eyes. Eventually, his curiosity made him do so. Kaito was soundly sleeping beside him, and his arms were wrapped in a gentle hug.

 _What…what's going on?!_ He sat up in shock but instantly regretted it when bile started to rise up his throat. He tried to make it to the bathroom, but he wobbled only a few steps before collapsing and vomiting.

Kaito's eyes popped open at the sound of the crash. "Shinichi?" He looked over the side of the bed and gasped. "Shinichi! Are you okay?" He sat beside Shinichi with an alarmed expression.

Shinichi put a hand to his head. "Yeah, I'm okay…sorry about this, Kaito."

Kaito gave a small smile. "This isn't your fault! If anything, it's mine for not having stronger security around the house…"

Noticing Kaito's frustration, Shinichi put a hand on the magician's shoulder. "We didn't know this would happen, Kaito." He let out a huge yawn. "Could you help me back to bed?"

Kaito laughed and carefully lifted the detective into bed. "Sleep well…" As he adjusted the covers, he felt his mask start to slip. _Even if he said it's not my fault, I know it is! I wouldn't normally do this, but it's for you…_ He pulled out his phone and dialed a number he wished he didn't know.

"Wha—Kuroba? Is that you? What are you calling so early for?"

"Hakuba, I need your help."


	7. Surprise 6: No Evidence?

Surprise Six: No Evidence?

Hakuba dropped the Holmes book he was reading in shock. "Wait, you're really Kuroba?!" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Are you trying to pull a prank on me like you did in high school? Because I'm not falling for it!"

Kaito sighed. "No, not now…" he whispered, allowing the worry to enter his voice. "My friend was attacked, and we don't know who it was or how he got in."

Hakuba's eyes widened. _Wow, he actually worries about someone besides his mom and Nakamori-san!_ "So you want me to take a look at it. How far away are you?"

Kaito relaxed a little. "Um, I'm in Beika. Can you come tomorrow morning?"

Hakuba hesitated. "Kuroba are you _sure_ you're not tricking me?" he asked slowly, the uncertainty obvious in his voice.

" _Please_ , Hakuba! You know how I hate it when someone's hurt." Kaito had no other choice but to flat-out beg.

Hakuba was stunned; Kaito wasn't the one to beg unless he was _really_ desperate. "Alright, Kuroba. Tell me the address, and I'll be there tomorrow morning."

Kaito let out the breath he was holding in. "District 2-21, Beika City. And…thanks."

Hakuba rolled his eyes. "I can't just let this slide; besides, I'm curious about this friend of yours…" With that, the awkward conversation ended.

Kaito closed his eyes and slid into bed by Shinichi. _Thank goodness! Let's hope he can find something to help bring that attacker to justice…_

X

Morning finally came, and Shinichi felt a lot better. Even so, Kaito seemed even more clingy than normal.

"Kaito, I said I'm doing better! The only problem I have is moving." Shinichi was getting irritated already, but the magician was trying to _feed him_.

Kaito huffed. "You're _not_ okay; you were just attacked, in case you forgot! Now eat." He handed the plate of food and chopsticks to Shinichi.

Shinichi started eating, but a question kept coming back to his thoughts. After a few bites, he set down his chopsticks with a sigh. "Kaito, I know this is a weird and sudden question, but… _why were you sleeping with me?!"_

Kaito sat there for a moment in surprise before snickering. "Well, _Tantei-kun_ , I noticed that since you tend to sleep better with me around, I should stay with you while you're in need of sleep…"

Feeling his face start to burn, Shinichi turned away. "Shut up…" But he realized that Kaito was right; he had a lot less nightmares, and there was a much smaller amount of times woken for no reason. Actually, he remembered that he slept better as _Conan_ , and he had shared a room with Kogorou!

 _Hang on…_ Shinichi stopped himself. _When I was there, I slept like a rock; Uncle snored the entire time too! Maybe—could it be?_ "To be honest…" Shinichi quietly spoke. "I haven't really slept well since I turned back to my original body. I thought it was from anxiety that I could be killed in my sleep or something absurd like that, but it may be because I wasn't used to being alone and without all the noise."

Kaito frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked in mild confusion.

Shinichi looked downward. "Well, it could be a repercussion from when I was Conan. I shared a room with Uncle, and he was a _loud_ snorer. At first, I'd be up most of the night, but I eventually grew used to it. Maybe I grew so used to it that I can't sleep alone without noise…"

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. He knew he'd have to tell the Kudous and the little scientist, but he was still a little shocked that Shinichi actually told him why he has trouble sleeping. Speaking of which… "Hey Shinichi, do you remember anything from yesterday?"

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. "No…did something happen?"

Kaito grinned. "Oh, I don't know…you were a little delirious and super worried about 'Kai-kai…'"

Groaning, Shinichi put his head in his hands to try and hide the blushing. After a moment of silence, he slowly sat up with a sparkle in his eyes. "I guess I need to be honest about this…" he whispered. "Kaito, you couldn't begin to imagine how much my life has changed over the past few days. I know what it's like to go somewhere and not have dead bodies!" He paused to shakily stand up. "I also know what it's like to care about someone that's not family or a half-crazy friend."

Kaito was touched and a little woozy; he cared deeply for Shinichi—almost _loved_ him—but never thought that his _Tantei-kun_ felt the same way.

"Oi, Kaito!" Shinichi put a steadying arm on the magician's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Of course…Shin-shin said he cares about me!" Kaito sang happily as they both sat on the bed.

Surprisingly, Shinichi merely flushed a bit at the nickname instead of complaining. "Well…I'd hate it being a one-way thing where you take care of me."

Kaito's thoughts briefly went to the time when Shinichi gave _him_ the blanket and let _him_ sleep, even if he was tired and a bit ill. "I appreciate all this, but _you_ are the one that was injured. For now, just let me take care of you."

A warm feeling entered Shinichi's chest as he thanked Kaito and finished his breakfast. "Did the kids find out what happened?" he asked with a long yawn while Kaito tucked him back into bed.

Kaito frowned. "Yeah…I had panicked when I saw you like that and called the kids in the room. I hid you from their sight and told them to get the first-aid kit for your medicine, but that little Ayumi was really smart!" He smirked. "She saw right through it since it's odd that I didn't get the medicine myself. I had no choice but to let the kids see you."

A smile tugged at the corner of Shinichi's lips. "She can be quite wise at times when someone she cares about is hurt or in danger…" He closed his eyes. "I'm dead tired, but please wake me in an hour or so; I want to have a normal sleep schedule…" His voice trailed off as he fell into a light slumber.

Kaito ruffled the detective's hair with a quiet laugh. "Sweet dreams, _Tantei-kun_!" He picked up the dishes and made his way to the kitchen to wash them. Right when he finished, there was a knock on the door. Kaito quickly opened it, and Hakuba was standing at the doorstep in regular clothes instead of the flashy outfit.

"Hey, you're not dressing up like that Watson guy!" Kaito teased as he let the British detective inside.

Hakuba considered commenting but realized that this was _Kuroba Kaito_. Sighing, he rubbed his temples. "Alright Kuroba, where is this attacked friend of yours?"

"He's upstairs sleeping…" Kaito paused and put a finger to his lips. "We will want to be quiet though since he's not a heavy sleeper." He then led a surprised Hakuba to Shinichi's bedroom. What struck Kaito as odd was the fact that Shinichi was fully covered and not snoring. _Is he…?_ He shook his head to erase the thought.

"Would he mind if I looked at his wound?" Hakuba inquired, looking around the room. There was a large filing cabinet, desk full of papers, and huge bookcase full of…detective books? If he remembered right, there was a detective in Beika that had recently graduated high school… "Wait, is that Kudou Shinichi?!"

Kaito nodded as a grin spread on his face. "Yup, this is the detective Shinichi! Would you believe my dad was his godfather?"

Hakuba felt a little faint. "Didn't you say he was attacked?"

Kaito showed slight confusion, not catching on. "Yeah…oh, the pictures!" He pulled out a digital camera from an unknown location and gave it to Hakuba. "I took pictures of the wound while changing it this morning just in case. We don't know who, why, or how about this though…"

Hakuba looked through the photos with wide eyes. The cut was long and deep enough to cause some problems later on—that much was for sure. As for the type of knife used, it looked like an average kitchen knife that's in every kitchen. That meant…no leads. Hakuba closely examined the room, but there was nothing strange. "Kuroba, do you know if the door and windows were locked or not?"

Kaito hummed as he thought. "Well, I know the front door was locked since those little detectives came to stay the night, but I don't know about the windows…"

"They're never locked," a voice quietly interjected.

Kaito gasped. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "Shin-shin, have you been faking the whole time?"

Shinichi sighed and uncovered himself, revealing bloodshot eyes. "I know I'm tired, but I just can't sleep…" His gaze turned to Hakuba. "Hey, aren't you…?" He had a coughing fit serious enough to have Kaito on the verge of panicking.

"Shin-shin, that's why I told you to sleep!" Kaito gave him two pills before offering a third. "This is a sleeping pill; do you want it?"

Shinichi shook his head. "I'll be fine once these pills do their thing…" He rested his head on Kaito's shoulder and closed his eyes.

Hakuba eyed the scene with surprise. _Just how close are these two?!_ He looked to Kaito, who was frowning as if that wasn't normal. "Hakuba, have you figured anything out concerning this?" the magician suddenly changed the subject.

The British detective shook his head. "There was nothing odd in the room or around the window, and the weapon was an ordinary kitchen knife. Whoever did it was very careful with their work."

Kaito seemed upset but not surprised. "Alright…thanks for coming over, Hakuba. I know you didn't have to after all the pranks I pulled back in high school."

Hakuba smirked a little as he left. Kaito almost regretted what he did to him—dying his hair bright red would quickly be noticed and seemed a bit harsh after helping with the investigating. _I guess I'm still the same as when I was in high school!_ He snickered and lied Shinichi down in the bed. "I know you want a short nap, but you really need the rest, _Tantei-kun_ …" He walked down to the living room and plopped in the recliner before flicking on the television. There wasn't anything good on, so Kaito put up the leg-rest, leaned back, and dozed off.

X

There was a buzzing sound. Kaito turned away to try and make it go away, but the buzz continued. Eventually, Kaito groggily sat up and saw it was his phone ringing. "Hello?"

The voice giggled. "Did I wake you? I can call you later if you're tired…"

It took a moment for Kaito to fully wake up and register the voice. "Oh, Ayumi! Sorry about that; I couldn't stay awake. What time is it?"

"It's 12:30," she replied. "I have some time before my classes start, so I wanted to see how Shinichi-kun is doing. Can I talk to him?"

Kaito laughed. "Sure, he needs to be woken anyway." He made his way to Shinichi's room and sat at his bedside. "Oi, Shin-shin, wake up!" He shook the detective, silently taking note that he wasn't snoring.

Shinichi tensed at the touch but relaxed when he noticed the phone in Kaito's hand. "Who are you talking to…?" He was interrupted when it was thrust toward him.

"It's Ayumi; she wanted to check up on you." While Shinichi dealt with the young girl's worrying, Kaito was closely eyeing him. He looked quite pale, sweaty…and shaken. Something was off—Shinichi didn't _get_ shaken. Once the call ended, Kaito asked if he was alright.

Shinichi frowned and looked downward. "Yeah, I'm fine…" he whispered.

Suddenly, it clicked. "Shin-shin, you've been having nightmares, haven't you?" Kaito wrapped the surprised Shinichi in a hug. "You need to tell me this stuff, Shin-shin… Why have you been having nightmares?"

Shinichi buried his head in the magician's chest and let out a choked sob. "It's that stupid attack… I don't remember a thing from it, but there's something that says I know them. All of those nightmares have someone betraying me…" His voice broke off as tears slid down his face. He began to tremble in fear.

Kaito tightened the embrace and started stroking Shinichi's hair. "Shin-shin, it'll be okay…you know that none of us would ever betray you!"

Shinichi sighed in relief as he began to sink into sleep. "Thanks, Kai-kai…" Kaito lied him down and, still lying beside him, pulled out his phone and dialed the little scientist's number.

"Kuroba-kun, what is it?" Ai sounded irritated. "You're lucky I'm on break right now."

Kaito bit his lip. "Well, what am I supposed to do about the _Tantei-kun_ having nightmares and not sleeping?" he inquired, letting worry creep in his voice.

Ai huffed. "Are you sure he's been having nightmares, Kuroba-kun?" She knew Shinichi well, and he wasn't the one to have _nightmares_ —let alone ones that gave him trouble sleeping.

"Haibara-san, he was _crying_ to me because he was terrified that one of us attacked him! Plus, he said the sleep deprivation used to be from the quiet and being alone; he thinks it's a repercussion from when he was little…"

Ai gasped. "Could it be…did he get amnesia? Quick, check his head for any sign of injury!"

Kaito did so, but there was nothing except an old scar. "There's nothing recent," he replied quietly, "so what exactly does that mean?"

The not-so-young scientist sighed. "If he has all of this occurring, he most likely has anxiety memory loss. This can be caused by sleep deprivation, feeling of no social support, or thinking of something stressful. I think it is a combination of these three and possibly a sedative that made Kudou-kun forget the attack and the identity of the culprit." A loud bell rang on her end. "Oh, that's my bell. Try and get him to remember _without_ bringing it up directly."

Kaito thanked her and ended the call. _Knowing Shin-shin, he won't want to sleep for very long, but he's probably deprived after having those…_ He stopped himself when he noticed Shinichi was tossing and turning in his sleep. "Shin-shin, it's okay…I'm here for you…" He soothingly whispered as he gently placed a hand on the detective.

Shinichi relaxed instantly. "Kai-kai…" He turned toward Kaito and returned to sleep.

Kaito smirked and lied down by Shinichi. He was just about to doze off when a phone buzzed again. "Hello?"

"Oh, Kuroba? Can I talk to Kudou fer a sec?" It was Heiji.

"Um, he just fell asleep. He's been having nightmares for the past few days, so I wouldn't want to wake him…"

Heiji gasped. "Kudou's havin' _nightmares_?!" he exclaimed. "What the heck happened to ya? It's only been a few days!"

Kaito quietly explained the immune crash, attack, and amnesia to the Osakan detective. "It's been pretty hectic…" he laughed a little.

"Wow! Sounds like the two o' ya could take a break." You could almost _hear_ the grin Heiji had. "How does a trip to Osaka sound?"

Kaito looked down at the sleeping Shinichi. "I would love to go, but Shinichi may not be as enthusiastic. Knowing his luck, there'd be at least one case while there."

Heiji chuckled. "You have a point there, Kuroba. However, you're forgettin' that I'd be there to help 'im! If ya don't mind, ya two can leave by plane tonight."

Kaito smiled. "Sure!" He hung up with a sigh. _Shin-shin, let's hope you can enjoy this trip… I can tell you're stressed, and all those cases do is make it worse! Just try to relax and stay away from that luck of yours!_


	8. Surprise 7: An Interrupted Flight?

Surprise Seven: An Interrupted Flight?

Shinichi awoke from his nap feeling a lot better. _If I slept that well…_ He slowly sat up rubbing his eyes and saw Kaito was indeed moving about the room. "What are you doing?" he yawned.

Kaito ruffled his hair with a smile. "Oh, just packing some clothes; it's not _that_ important…"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "What did you plan?" he asked with a sigh.

Kaito faked a hurt expression. "You say that like I'm bad or something!" But he wore a mischievous grin on his face. "Okay, there may be a bit of a setup…but it was Heiji-kun that planned it."

Shinichi smirked. "That means another Osaka trip, right? Alright, I'll go pack a few books and other necessities." He stood up and, ignoring the moment of vertigo, left the room.

Kaito gaped at the doorway in shock. _I thought he'd be at least a little reluctant!_ Shaking his head, he finished packing the duffel bags before checking his wallet. It was fuller than he thought, so he went downstairs to see how the detective was doing. He had the backpack plumb full of detective books but stared at the bookcase with glazed eyes and a hand at his chin.

"No, I doubt that…" Shinichi mumbled to himself with a frown. "But how in the world…?"

"Oi, Shin-shin!" Kaito bounced in the room and put an arm around Shinichi. "Are you ready to go?"

Shinichi jumped a bit. "Don't scare me like that!" He slung the backpack on his shoulder with a huff. "So which kind of transportation are we using to get to Osaka?"

"We're gonna _fly_!" Kaito exclaimed enthusiastically. "Since I know your parents fairly well, I can assume you've flown before, right?"

Blushing a little, Shinichi nodded. "I used to go with my parents on trips because of my age…" They continued a light chat as they packed up the car and drove off.

"Shin-shin, will you be okay for this trip?" Kaito whispered after a period of silence. "You've been through quite a lot, and…"

Shinichi put a hand on the magician's shoulder. "Kaito, I'll be _fine_! I'm just a little sleep-deprived and hungry. Besides, I've known Hattori for a long time, and he's actually really considerate toward his guests. Even when I get myself into a sticky case, he doesn't hesitate to help find the culprit!"

Kaito looked much calmer as they pulled into the airport and boarded their plane. For some reason, Shinichi hesitated to sit in his seat. "Shin-shin, is something wrong?"

Even if Shinichi was a little flushed, he shook his head and sat down. "Can you hand me my bag?" he asked timidly.

Kaito grinned. "Sure!" He reached over and gave Shinichi the bag. Thanking Kaito, he quickly pulled out a book and started to read as the plane began to take off. "Whoa! Shin-shin, look out there!"

Shinichi didn't respond.

"Ah-le?" Kaito turned to Shinichi and snickered. The detective was completely passed out and snoring. "Ah, that's why he was acting weird—planes make him drowsy!" He carefully placed a blanket on Shinichi before taking out an old journal and reading its first entry.

 _Dear Son,_

 _I know your life as a fully-grown man must seem difficult right now. From my friend's deduction, you are living with my godson, who's a bit of a detective. I know how you hate people being hurt, but the boy's probably aware of it and is trying to avoid all cases. However, I know from experience that detectives tend to find a few messy cases. Just stay strong and have faith in him. Remember your poker face and to never reveal your tricks to your audience._

 _-Kuroba Toichi_

Kaito's expression remained blank, but his indigo eyes were telling a different story. As he put away the journal in a secret pocket, tears began to form. _Dad…_ He covered himself with his blanket to hide the trembling.

"Um, are you alright, Sir?" a flight attendant asked a few minutes later. "I couldn't help but notice you're trembling."

Kaito revealed his face and smiled. "I just need some rest…" He yawned, and the flight attendant left. _Hm…I should probably wait until Shin-shin wakes up._ He took out his thick black book and read a few hours until his _Tantei-kun_ awoke.

Shinichi groaned as he stretched. "You're still awake?" he inquired, slightly surprised. "Don't you want to sleep on this flight?"

Kaito smirked. "Well, I wanted to make sure you slept well since you've been having nightmares…"

Shinichi's face burned in embarrassment. "T-thanks, Kaito. Um, it's okay if you sleep for the rest of the way; I'll be fine as long as you're here…"

Kaito curled up next to Shinichi and dozed off.

Shinichi sighed in relief. _Thank goodness…Kaito has been such an overprotective mom toward me lately that he's not worrying about himself—he's acting like me!_

X

His phone was ringing. He was fully aware of this, but he didn't feel like getting up. Eventually, he groggily sat up and flipped open the phone. That number…

"Kudou, what're ya callin' so early fer? Did somethin' happen?"

"Hattori, tell your dad there was a murder on my plane."

Heiji's eyes widened. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me!" He cursed. "Did ya deal with it?"

Shinichi sighed tiredly. "Yeah, I got some flight attendants guarding the scene and have the culprit tied up. It was a simple jealous love case, so it wasn't too difficult…"

Heiji knew his fellow detective was lying. "Kudou…"

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the other end. " _Kuso_ …Hattori, I have to go." He hung up on a surprised Heiji and rushed to the scene. There was a young man lying in the aisle with a gunshot wound in the chest. Shinichi felt at his wrist and neck, but there was no pulse.

"He's already dead," he quietly told the crowd. "Please back away so I can do my work."

One of the people, a middle-aged woman, huffed. "What makes you think you can boss us around, little boy?"

There was slight muttering for a moment before a child spoke up. "Are you the detective Kudou Shinichi? The one that always finds the culprit?" There was a fascinated sparkle in the child's eyes.

Shinichi bent down beside the child. "I am. I have solved many cases, and I won't hesitate with this one!" Giving a comforting smile, he turned to the crowd and repeated his command. This time, they did so and allowed the detective to solve the case. Since it wasn't too easy to get rid of weapons, it was quickly solved, and Shinichi returned to his seat with a slight headache.

 _That's my luck…_ He wiped away sweat as he sat beside the snoring magician. _I'm surprised Kaito hasn't woken through all of this! He must be exhausted after doing so much for me._ He tried to keep his thoughts light, but they eventually returned to what was stressing him. _Who would attack me like that? Is it even possible for Gin to still be alive?_ He considered calling Ai but knew she wouldn't tell him anything at this hour. Instead, he used a detective book as a distraction until the plane landed.

"Wow, we're already here?" Kaito let out a long yawn as he stood up to stretch. He looked over to Shinichi and saw sweat glistening on his forehead. "Hey, are you okay? Do you still have those symptoms?"

Shinichi gave a fatigued sigh. "Yeah, I think I still have a bit of that cold…" He coughed a bit as they grabbed their bags. "I can have some of my medicine when we get to Hattori's place."

Kaito frowned. "But you're still a bit deprived on sleep, aren't you?" He looked around the parking lot for the Osakan detective. "Couldn't you see if you can spend part of today to rest up?"

Shinichi shrugged. "I could, but I would hate ruining any plans that they already have set up…" He was interrupted when Kaito called out to the Hattoris.

"Ah, there ya guys are!" A few hugs were exchanged, and they piled in the car.

"So Kudou, I heard that a lot happened since we last met…" Heiji turned around to face Shinichi. "Is it true that ya were attacked right after a crash?"

Shinichi looked to the car roof and closed his eyes. "Yeah…I had that crash pretty soon after the heat stroke, and someone attacked me quickly after that. And with what happened on the plane to add to that…"

Kaito quirked an eyebrow. "What happened? Was this when I was asleep?"

Shinichi's eyes popped open, and he grinned. "Wow, you really were out!" He leaned forward to hide his face. "Well…" he whispered. "There were two cases."

Kaito groaned. "And you went and solved them in the condition you're in…" He shook his head and handed Shinichi three pills. "I included a sleeping pill with that if you want it."

Shinichi didn't want to take the third pill. "I don't think I should take that sleeping pill, Kaito. After all, Hattori probably has a novel for all of the possible places to go in Osaka."

Heiji snickered. "Nah, it's only a few short stories! But seriously Kudou, I don't mind if we spent today at the house so ya can rest up."

"Neither do I," Kazuha agreed as she eyed Shinichi from the rearview mirror. "If ya aren't feelin' well, ya should try to relax an' get better! I know a certain _someone_ who can be out 'til two in the mornin' solvin' a murder an' has to sleep 'til noon…" She glared at Heiji. "Besides, we weren't goin' to do too much today anyway. Just take that pill an' get some sleep."

Shinichi felt his hands shaking. "N-no, I don't need the pill to get to sleep…" He felt a seed of fear plant itself in his stomach, and bile started to rise up his throat.

Kaito eyed Shinichi with a concerned expression. "Shin-shin, you're nervous about having nightmares again, aren't you?" He patted him on the back. "You know we're all on your side here; none of us would ever betray you!" He was somehow able to coax Shinichi into taking the sleeping pill.

Shinichi, with a yawn and half-lidded eyes, nervously cuddled up to the magician. "Kaito…" he whispered softly so only Kaito could hear. "Please keep me safe."

Kaito ruffled his hair with a quiet laugh. "You go to sleep, and make sure to stay that way until you're all better!" He pulled a blanket out of nowhere and carefully placed it over Shinichi.

Heiji frowned. "I hope he'll be okay; this isn't like him at all…" He thought of the situation as just plain odd—Shinichi wasn't the one to just tip over and take a nap on someone unless something was _really_ wrong.

Kaito gave a sad smile. "I think these nightmares came without warning for him," he said in a slightly dark tone. "The little scientist says he may have anxiety memory loss, which means there's a high possibility that he knows somehow who attacked him. However, a combination of different triggers made him forget the entire attack."

Heiji's eyes widened. "Is it possible that the one who attacked 'im is also responsible fer those two bodies ya stumbled on? Could it be that group that shrunk 'im?"

Kaito blanched. "I never thought of that… That is actually highly possible since that kid also said that there was a sighting of the one that first gave him the poison." He looked down at the sleeping Shinichi with worry. _Shin-shin…_

X

"Oi, Kuroba, wake up!" Someone was lightly shaking him.

Kaito sat up and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry, I must have dozed off… Are we at your place already?" He carefully picked up Shinichi piggyback and exited the car to see the impressive Hattori home. "Wow, this place is amazing! How were you able to get it?"

Kazuha gave a proud grin. "Well, I suppose it helps with Heiji being a famous detective and me being a part of the most popular clothes brand in Japan…" They entered the home, which was still quite stunning with them only living there for a year.

"C'mon, let's take Kudou to the guest room." Heiji waved toward the hallway, so Kaito followed him to the last door on the right. It was a simple room with two futons, a dresser, and an empty desk. Kaito lied Shinichi down on a futon and covered him, studying his sleeping face and breathing. He wasn't asleep; he was _out_.

Heiji laughed quietly. "I guess I'd be drained after solvin' two cases with everythin' he's got… How long should we let 'im sleep?"

Kaito's lips turned to a smile. "I know he'd want to be woken in an hour or so, but he's been really short on sleep for the past few days. I'd say just let him sleep as long as he needs to." He paused for a moment. "We probably need to check up on him every once in a while in case he starts having nightmares again."

Heiji nodded in agreement. "But I still can't wrap my head 'round all this… _Kudou_ is having _nightmares_ … That's pretty much like that Kaitou Kid he chases showin' up to a heist without any o' his magical gadgets!"

Kaito laughed. "Yeah, that would be pretty weird!" They both stood up to leave, but Kaito hesitated by the doorway. _Shinichi…stay strong. You already know that we're with you; your mind is just trying to play tricks on you!_ He stopped himself. _But why does he never come to anyone when he feels like that? Why does he keep it bottled up inside?_ He shook his head and left the room to play card games with Kazuha and Heiji.

"Hey, Kuroba…" Heiji looked up from his hand. "I've noticed you're a bit pale. Are you worried about Kudou?"

Kaito gulped and nodded, carefully putting on a poker face. "Yeah…I just don't get why he doesn't tell anyone when something's wrong! I mean, he didn't even wake me up when there were two murders…"

Heiji wrapped an arm around Kaito and lightly hugged him. "Kudou's just not the kind o' person to make others worry 'bout 'im. I remember one time when he was still Conan… He and the kids were explorin' a cave when they discovered a group disposin' a dead body. He shoved the others away to take the bullet the leader shot an' didn't say anythin'. They didn't even notice 'til he collapsed." He looked Kaito in the eye. "Ya shouldn't try an' get 'im to say it either; he's more stubborn than ya think! Just let 'im be, an' he'll come when he needs ya."

Kaito thanked him and forced a smile as they continued their game. However, Kaito wouldn't stop thinking about it. _When will he come to me? On his deathbed? No, I doubt that… I guess—I guess he doesn't need me… Since I'm in the way, I'll leave when we get back to his house. That way, I won't be a burden anymore._


	9. Surprise 8: A Misunderstanding?

**Author's Note: I apologize for the long wait; I've had lots of family issues and packing junk (ugh)...but here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks so much to everyone that has given reviews; I love getting feedback for things like this!**

* * *

Surprise Eight: A Misunderstanding?

While everyone else was enjoying the card games, Shinichi was having a feverish nightmare. He was searching everywhere he could for Gin, but it was as if he disappeared from the face of the Earth. Everyone told him to just give up and let it be, but he was terrified.

"I can't!" he told them. "I can't just let my guard down, or else he'll kill me!" But he was losing all hope that he'd find Gin. It had been many months with no leads or anything. The police was trying their best to help find something, but it was no use.

Shinichi lied down in bed after another long day of searching and was about to doze off when he noticed something outside. Quickly jumping up, he rushed to the window and felt a gun at his forehead.

"Your curiosity has killed you, _Tantei_."

Shinichi sat up with a start and gasped for breath. Wiping away the cold sweat, his eyes focused on the door slowly opening. He started to stand up in fear, but it was only Heiji.

Heiji's eyes widened upon seeing the scene. "Wow, Kuroba wasn't kiddin'!" He sat beside Shinichi and helped him sit down. "Are ya okay, Kudou? Ya look like ya just saw a roomful o' bodies with ten suspects!"

Shinichi groaned and put his head in his hands. "I just can't take it, Hattori!" he cried. "With the stuff about Gin being back and the two cases…why can't it just go solve itself?"

Heiji gave a sad smile and patted his fellow detective on the back. "Well, ya should know from experience that we detectives find cases we'd rather not have to deal with! But isn't it better solvin' a difficult case than sittin' around all day?"

Shinichi slowly looked up. "I suppose…but I've never felt this amount of fear toward a case; it's odd."

Heiji sighed. "I can't deny that," he said in a low whisper. "It's not like ya at all. What, do ya think Kuroba attacked ya or somethin'?"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, but I feel like I know who it is…" He winced as his head pounded. "I can't remember a thing from it. This is almost as bad as the case where I was in the locked room!"

Heiji raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "You'll have to tell me that one another time," he said slowly. "For now, ya need to get back to sleep or Kuroba's gonna make ya stay in bed the whole time yer here!"

Shinichi closed his eyes and tried his best to fake sleep, but the Osakan detective wouldn't fall for it. Eventually, Heiji huffed.

"Kudou, ya know fakin' it won't help anythin'. Do ya need somethin' to help ya sleep?"

Shinichi bit his lip. "Could you get Kaito in here? I need to talk to him for a bit about something…" Heiji did so, and Kaito quickly sat beside him with a slightly concerned look.

"What's up, Shin-shin?" he asked.

Shinichi ignored the dizziness and slowly sat up. "Kaito… I need to be honest about this. There's been something else that's been bugging me since we first met; it's like I know you from somewhere…"

Kaito's eyes widened despite himself. There was a long period of silence as Kaito fought an inner battle whether to tell Shinichi or not. Finally, he stood up, looking down at his feet. "Yeah, I guess I need to be honest too. You do know me—in a way." He snapped his fingers, and a puff of smoke engulfed him. When it cleared, he was in a white suit and top hat with a monocle over one eye.

Shinichi gasped. "Kaitou Kid…?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Ah, that does explain everything."

Kaito grinned and used the same trick to take off the outfit. "If you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone, _preferably_ that blonde twit…"

Shinichi nodded and looked into Kaito's indigo eyes. "But why did you tell me?" he asked quietly. "In case you forgot, I was at plenty of your heists to try and stop you!"

Kaito only gave a distant smile as he sat back down. "I guess—I guess I felt you deserved to know after all you've done."

Shinichi frowned. _That's an odd answer from him… He's normally not that vague._ Shaking his head, he hugged Kaito. "Thank you…for everything. I owe you so much; my life couldn't be better with you here beside me."

Kaito was surprised. _I thought…that I was hurting you, Shin-shin. That I wasn't good enough. But now…_ He felt tears roll down his cheeks as he started to tremble slightly.

Shocked, Shinichi tightened the embrace and allowed Kaito to bury his head in his chest and cry. "Just let it all out…" he whispered soothingly.

A couple minutes later, Kaito sat up straight and sniffed. "Sorry about that, Shin-shin," he said a little shakily. "I guess it just came out on its own."

Shinichi smirked. "It's okay, Kaito. I know why you were crying, so I get it…" Suddenly, the world started to shift, and the colors mashed together. Shinichi put a hand to his head and closed his eyes, but he still fell forward into Kaito's arms with a quiet moan.

"Shin-shin!" Kaito immediately lied him back down and felt his forehead. It was scorching hot, so he rummaged through his bag before finding the emergency pill Ai made and giving it to Shinichi. "Did that help at all?"

"Not really…" Shinichi mumbled. "But I should be better after a bit of sleep; wake me in a couple hours." He yawned and curled up on his side as he slowly drifted off.

Kaito snickered and adjusted Shinichi's blanket. "You better sleep for a while, Shin-shin…" Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Oi Kuroba, did you get him to sleep yet?" Heiji quietly opened the door and laughed when he saw the slumbering detective. "Wow, he must be super stressed with all that piled on 'im at once!"

Kaito hummed in agreement. "It's sad that he just adds more with the _cases_ … That's why I wanted him to take occasional breaks."

For some reason, Heiji's eyes darkened. "Well…sometimes, we detectives get ourselves into things we don't want involved in but at the same time can't get out of. Kinda like the case when Kudou was shrunk by that organization."

Kaito sighed. "I suppose…but he still needs to worry about himself sometimes!"

X

As he promised, Kaito chose to wake Shinichi two hours later. "Oi, Shin-shin." He gently shook the detective.

Shinichi grumbled and slowly uncovered himself. "It's already been two hours?" He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Whatever, I should be fine for the rest of the day. Have Hattori or Kazuha said anything about going somewhere?"

Kaito shrugged. "I don't know if we're doing anything since I was in here with you."

Shinichi flushed slightly. "O-oh…thanks." He attempted to stand up, but Kaito stopped him.

"Not just yet! First, I must make sure you're well enough." Ignoring Shinichi's protests saying he was just fine, Kaito closely examined him. He looked hungry and a little tired, but it seemed like that emergency pill did its job quite well. Just to be sure, he stuck a thermometer in Shinichi's mouth. It read normal, so he allowed Shinichi to stand.

Shinichi huffed. "Well, _that_ was a waste of time…" he muttered to himself.

Kaito grinned. "Someone's in a bad mood! Here, this will help." He produced a small slice of pie out of nowhere and handed it to Shinichi. "Eat up; I can tell you need it."

Shinichi reluctantly took a bite of the pie and gasped. "Lemon…but how did you know?" He looked to Kaito with that sparkle returning in his eyes.

Kaito snickered. "I have many information sources that tell me things…"

"Like my parents?" Shinichi couldn't hold back a smile as he took another bite. "You probably called while I was asleep to see what foods I like. Where did you get this anyway? Is there a store nearby?"

Kaito snapped his fingers, and a piece of paper appeared in his hand. It was a recipe for lemon pie. "Why, I made it, of course! Don't you remember the time I brought you breakfast in bed? I made that too."

Shinichi was slightly surprised; when he had that breakfast, he was too tired to really taste anything and notice it wasn't his parents' cooking. "Wow…thanks." He was speechless—in fact, he found he always was when Kaito did something like this.

 _Come to think of it…_ He thought to himself as he finished the pie. _I haven't done anything to thank Kaito for everything. I know I'm sick and injured and tired now, but I really should once I recover; he deserves it!_

Kaito was happy seeing Shinichi in a better mood. "Come on, Shin-shin; let's go ask the others if we're going somewhere." He grabbed Shinichi's hand and led him to the living room, where Heiji was alone reading a book.

"Ah, yer awake!" He stood up and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Do ya feel better now?"

Shinichi gave a small smile. "Yeah, I should be fine for the rest of the day…um, where's Kazuha? Is she taking care of Akemi?"

Heiji laughed. "Nah, Akemi's with me folks fer a few days so we can have a bit of a break. As fer Kazuha, I made her go take a nap since she was up all night with Akemi. Once she gets up, we can all go somewhere! Ya got any ideas?"

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "How about that Maruyama Park in Kyoto? I heard it gets real pretty this time of year."

Heiji considered the idea. "Well, I wouldn't mind driving to Kyoto… Whaddya think about it, Kudou?" He looked up and noticed Shinichi was in a slight daze.

Shinichi started a bit before placing a careful mask over his expression. "Oh, um, I guess it'd be nice to go…"

"Good! I'll go wake Kazuha an' see if she wants to go." Heiji quickly left the room as he began to frown. _Kudou, what the heck is goin' on with ya? Ya say yer fine, but I can tell yer not!_ He sighed as he opened the door to the master bedroom. _Well, there is that one-hour drive for him to sleep if he needs it…_ Shaking his head to clear the thought, he carefully approached the bedside and shook his wife. "Oi Kazuha, ya wanna go with us to Kyoto?"

Kazuha yawned and turned to face her husband. "Nah, I'll stay here an' make sure dinner's ready when ya get home."

"Are ya sure?" Heiji quirked an eyebrow in mild confusion, for Kazuha was the one to go on a trip without hesitation. "We're goin' to the park."

Kazuha bit her lip as she thought. Eventually, she sighed and stood up. " _Fine_ , I'll go. But I'm payin' fer everyone's dinner!" They quickly got ready and piled back in the car for a trip to Kyoto.

Kaito noticed Shinichi starting to nod off about ten minutes in the drive and laughed. "You know you can nap if you're that tired!"

Shinichi blinked his eyes rapidly to try and focus. "I don't wanna…" he muttered softly. But his body and mind were both too strong, so they pulled the detective into a light sleep.

Heiji smirked. "I guess he was more tired than he thought, huh?"

Kaito nodded. "Yeah…I just hope he'll be okay."

X

The trip to the Maruyama Park went fairly well. They had enough time to see everything before a murder interrupted them. Thankfully, it went quickly with two detectives there. What caught Shinichi as strange was how Kaito suddenly changed when an officer brought up his dad. He was still cheery after the case, but that moment…he looked sad. _Really_ sad, and he wouldn't say why. That was why Shinichi wanted to do some research on his own.

"Hey Hattori, do you have a laptop I could use?" he asked once they were back at the house.

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "Why do ya need one this late, Kudou?"

"Oh, I just need to research something; I promise to not stay up all night." Shinichi gave a partial answer.

Heiji sighed and gave him a laptop. "Ya better keep that promise!" he exclaimed as Shinichi ran back to the guest room. He turned on the computer and typed in 'Kuroba Toichi' in the search bar. He read through a few articles about his success before coming across one around the time of his death. Before he could find out the trick in which the magician died, he felt his eyes suddenly grow heavy.

 _Kuso…what time is it?_ He looked in the bottom right corner, which read 12:30 A.M. He cursed again as his eyes slowly slid shut.

At about that same time, Kaito and Heiji were ready to head to bed after playing more card games. "Well, I'm going to bed. Night!" Kaito gave a small wave and walked down the hall to the guest room and paused in the doorway. He could see Shinichi lying down by a computer with one hand on the mouse, and it looked like some article was pulled up. "Shin-shin?" he whispered.

There was no response.

Kaito slowly stepped in the room and smirked when he saw Shinichi was asleep. "You know you're not helping matters…" He huffed and carefully picked up the laptop, taking note of the article's title. He started walking away from the room when the detective sat up with a yawn.

"Oh, I fell asleep?" He sleepily rubbed at his eyes.

Kaito smiled. "Sorry for waking you; I was just going to put this away." He gestured to the laptop in his hands.

Shinichi winced. "You probably saw what I was reading, didn't you?"

Kaito waved it off. "I don't mind; you didn't know about it, and your curiosity was piqued when I didn't tell you. Just get to sleep, and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Shinichi let out a huge yawn and lied down, but he felt at unease for some reason. _Is it because of the fact that Kaito's dad was murdered? Or maybe because I feel guilty for reading that instead of asking him?_ He put his hands behind his head as his thoughts began to race. He knew he wouldn't be sleeping much now.

Kaito quickly returned to the room and noticed Shinichi's distant stare at the ceiling. "Oi, I told you to go to sleep!" He looked closer and saw a hint of worry in Shinichi's expression. "Hey, is something wrong?"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, I'm fine…"

Then, it clicked. "Shin-shin, I already told you I'm not mad or upset about you reading that article! If anything, I'm happy that you did it so I don't have to explain it…"

Shinichi turned toward Kaito in surprise. That tone—it sounded dark. "Kaito…I shouldn't have brought it up. I'm sorry for bringing up those memories; they must be hard."

Kaito wrapped Shinichi in a warm embrace. "They can be hard sometimes…but that's why I try my hardest to stay happy and protect others from facing the same fate."

X

Heiji saw Kaito come by with the laptop half an hour ago, so he knew they were both asleep. He quietly walked down the hall to the doorway and peered in. Both magician and detective were fast asleep and…hugging each other? They must have gotten a lot closer over the past few days, Heiji figured as he shook his head with a smile and went to bed.

 _Well…I guess that's good that they're closer. Now, they can depend on each other fer happiness, and that makes me happy too._


	10. Surprise 9: A Strange Sighting?

Surprise Nine: A Strange Sighting?

Kaito awoke the next morning and wasn't surprised to see Shinichi still asleep. "You just keep sleeping…" he whispered as he gave him a light kiss on the forehead and made his way to the kitchen, where Heiji was cooking breakfast.

"Ah, Kuroba! How did ya sleep last night? Is Kudou still asleep?" Heiji flashed a grin at the magician.

Kaito smirked. "I slept fine—longer than I normally would. As for Shinichi, he's _out_. I'm not too surprised though since he's been so short on sleep…"

"Ok, we can wait a little while before checking on him again." Heiji turned back to the stove to flip the bacon. He was a little nervous since he remembered the tension Kaito seemed to have during the case, but he felt relieved when seeing him in a better mood.

Just then, Kazuha entered the kitchen with a loud yawn. "Mornin', everyone. Hey, where's Shinichi? I thought he was a light sleeper!"

Kaito snickered. "He normally is, but not so much when he's as deprived as he's been the past few days. I'd advise to keep him asleep for a while since he can get a bit cranky if woken."

Kazuha pursed her lips. "Well, I'm goin' to check on 'im an' make sure he's doin' okay." She put her hands on her hips and marched to the guest room, not seeing Heiji and Kaito's shocked expressions. Upon opening the door, she noticed Shinichi shivering under his blanket. "Hey, are you okay?" She sat down and placed a hand on his back.

Shinichi sighed and uncovered his face, revealing eyes that were bloodshot and had dark circles under them. "No, not really…" he mumbled. "I had another nightmare at about two this morning and couldn't get back to sleep until seven." He slowly looked up to Kazuha. "Sorry about all this; I guess it was a bad time for me to come…"

Kazuha gave a sad smile. "Nah, yer forgettin' that we can help ya with all this! Just take yer mind off of it fer a while and relax…"

Shinichi coughed a little as he closed his eyes to stop the dizziness. "Kazuha…could you get me my pills? I haven't taken them yet today."

Kazuha did so before pulling out a third pill. "Shinichi, do ya want this sleepin' pill too? I think it'd help if ya slept a bit more…"

Shinichi shook his head. "No, I'll just take a quick nap so we can do what you and Hattori had planned." Ignoring Kazuha's protest, he turned over and curled up under the blanket. "Um, Kazuha…could you not tell the others about me being awake all night? I don't want them worried…" His voice trailed off as he fell asleep.

Kazuha huffed as she started to leave the dozing detective. "Yer just like Heiji—ya never worry about yerself!" She shook her head and returned to the kitchen, where Heiji was dishing out breakfast.

"Ah, Kazuha! How was Kudou?" Heiji sat down beside his wife as everyone started eating the Western style meal.

There was a period of silence as Kazuha considered what to say. Eventually, she set down her chopsticks and looked into Heiji's eyes. "He's not doin' so good, Heiji. He was up most o' the night after havin' a nightmare an' still insists that we continue the plan!"

Kaito paled. _He had a nightmare…and I was right there next to him! Why didn't he wake me? How did I not notice?_ "The three cases he had yesterday probably had him worn out enough, but he's sick and injured too! _Kuso_."

Heiji frowned. "And I know he'll be too stubborn to stay in bed all day to recover, so… what the heck do we do?!"

Kazuha's eyes brightened as an idea struck her. "Hey, Heiji, how about this?" She leaned to his ear and whispered something.

Heiji grinned. "I think that'll work! But we'd have to find somethin' he'd like." He turned to Kaito. "Kuroba, do you know any movies in theaters that Kudou would wanna see?"

Kaito gasped as he realized the plan. "Oh, _that's_ what we'll do! Hm…I think there's some kind of new Sherlock Holmes movie that was released a few days ago…"

"Perfect!" Heiji clapped his hands together. "So we'll take him to the theater this afternoon, and he'll fall asleep for a couple hours before going to our original destination."

Kazuha and Kaito liked the idea, so they put their heads together and worked out their master plan.

When Shinichi groggily awoke a few hours later, he was confused to see Kaito happily moving about the room. "Kaito…?" he muttered, not fully awake. "What are you so happy about? Are we going somewhere?"

Kaito snickered and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Aw, you're so cute when you're half-asleep! But yeah, Heiji-kun said we're going to the theater in Osaka. Something about 'ancient architecture that you can only find there…'"

Shinichi smirked. "Alright." He yawned and sat up, running a hand through his hair. "I should change and eat something, and then we can go." He stood up and started to leave the room, but Kaito blocked the doorway.

"Wait, Shin-shin; let me check your temperature." He stuck a thermometer in Shinichi's mouth and waited for the beep. 99.8, which meant a slight fever but not bad enough to keep him from going. "Alright, you're good to go!"

Shinichi walked past him toward the bathroom after whispering a quiet "thanks." Once the door was shut and locked, he felt himself start to convulse. _Shoot!_ He clutched at his chest as it suddenly became harder to breathe and slowly slid to the floor. Sweat began to form on his forehead, and he took quick gasps for air—it felt like he'd pass out. After what seemed like years but was only minutes, it stopped. He shakily stood up and looked at himself in the mirror. He was really pale, but otherwise fine.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Shin-shin, are you alright in there?" It was Kaito, the person Shinichi least wanted around in this situation.

"Y-yeah, I'm okay!" Shinichi forced a cheerful tone as he quickly changed and opened the door.

Kaito raised an eyebrow at the paleness. "You're probably starving! Come on; let's find you something to eat." He led Shinichi to the kitchen and ordered him to sit while he fixed something.

"Are you sure?" Shinichi asked, trying his best to hide his trembling.

Kaito gave a warm smile. "You bet! After all, I was told to take care of you!" He searched around the fridge before finding leftover fried rice from the previous day. He scooped a large portion on a plate and cooked it in the microwave before placing it before Shinichi.

"Thanks…" Shinichi flushed a bit as he began eating. However, he couldn't eat in peace because Kaito was closely examining him. Feeling his face start to burn, he closed his eyes. "Kaito, please stop; I'm trying to eat."

Kaito huffed. "Shin-shin, have you been fake sleeping at all?" he suddenly asked.

Shinichi blanched despite himself. "W-what makes you think that?"

Kaito pursed his lips. "So I was right." He bent down beside Shinichi and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know there's no need to be scared; I'm always with you!"

Shinichi looked away as his eyes darkened. "That may be true, but…I don't want you getting hurt for something that you're not involved in…" He was cut off when Kaito slapped him in the face.

"Shinichi, I am involved in this as much as you are!" he exclaimed as tears welled up. "If anyone should get hurt by _them_ , it should be me; you wouldn't be able to handle it. In case you didn't know, my dad was killed by them!"

Shinichi looked to Kaito with surprise. "He was?" he whispered.

Kaito sighed and sat beside him. "Yeah, he was killed by that same group that shrunk you. It was a long time ago, so I didn't know for a while that it was the same people. But when I slowly realized the truth that he was murdered…" A shadow briefly crossed over his face. "Thankfully, that little scientist destroyed them!" A smile returned on his face.

Shinichi was speechless; all he could do was hug the magician and apologize. "I'm sorry… I didn't realize that you actually knew them. I should have tried to finish that article last night instead of having you tell me."

Kaito waved it off. "It's fine; you needed the sleep anyway!" Noticing Shinichi's empty plate, he picked it up. "Did you want some more?"

Shinichi shook his head, allowing himself to slightly show his fatigue. "No, we shouldn't be keeping Hattori and Kazuha any longer." Kaito shrugged and washed it before dragging the detective to the living room. "We're ready to go!"

Heiji grinned. "Okay, let's go see the wonders of the Osakan Theater!"

X

Naturally, the native was right—the theater _did_ have an older style to it. Shinichi couldn't hold back a smirk and rolled his eyes. "So Hattori, which movie are we going to see?" he asked. He had a slight suspicion on which one, but he remembered how Heiji disliked it.

"We're watchin' the Holmes movie!" Heiji exclaimed, throwing Shinichi off guard.

"Wait, we are?" Shinichi's eyes lit up. "But I thought you didn't like Sherlock Holmes…"

Heiji wagged a finger in a 'tsk-tsk' manner. "I never said I didn't like 'im; he's just not my favorite. I enjoy a good detective movie anyways, so…"

Shinichi couldn't stop smiling as they entered the theater and sat down in the seats. As the room's lights started to dim and the quiet music began to play, he felt his eyes grow heavier. _No way… I thought I could stay awake for at least part of this!_ He blinked rapidly to try and focus, but it wasn't going to help.

Kaito snickered. "Shin-shin, you can go to sleep if you want…" he whispered as he wrapped an arm around the detective.

Shinichi leaned his head on Kaito's shoulder as he struggled to keep his eyes open. "Kai-kai…please keep me safe." He finally went limp as sleep forced him to give in.

Kaito gave a thumbs-up to Heiji and Kazuha, and they enjoyed an overdramatic mystery until the end credits finally showed up two-and-a-half hours later, along with the identity of the killer. It was then that Shinichi awoke.

"Wha…it's over?" He sat up and yawned, his eyes still half-lidded. "I missed the whole movie! I was probably wrong on the killer too…"

Kaito ruffled his hair with a laugh. "Well, it's your fault for not sleeping well! Speaking of that, did the nap help at all?"

Shinichi looked down at his hands and was relieved to see all signs of trembling gone. "Yeah, I guess it did. Thanks, Kaito."

Kaito waved it off and stood up before offering a hand. "Can you stand up?"

Shinichi blushed. "I'm fine, Kaito!" He started to walk down the aisle toward the door, but someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kudou, are ya feelin' better?" Heiji asked. "I noticed ya fell asleep durin' the movie."

Shinichi smiled in reassurance. "I'm loads better! But I am curious about my deduction… was the killer the wife?"

Heiji grinned. "I'm not tellin' ya! Yer gonna have to find out fer yerself!" He wrapped an arm around his fellow detective. "Now that that's done, how do ya feel about goin' to the Tempozan Ferris Wheel? It has a nice view o' the surroundin' area…"

Acting a little childish, Shinichi groaned. "I'm going to have to spend hours researching that!" He sighed and shook his head. "As for the Ferris wheel, I don't mind—as long as we don't have to do too much, mainly cases. I had three cases yesterday, and I doubt I can handle any for a while…"

Heiji hummed in agreement as he directed the others out of the theater. "If there turns out to be one, I'll have Kuroba stay behind with ya while I solve it." They piled back in the car, and the Osakan detective drove to their destination.

As they slowly approached the Ferris wheel, Shinichi was stunned by its massive size. "Wow, it's huge!" he exclaimed.

Heiji laughed. "Yeah, and that's why it's so good fer lookin' around the area!" He parked the car close to the Ferris wheel and led everyone to the entrance gate. "Here, I'll pay fer yer tickets." He pulled out ¥2800 and gave it to the lady in the booth. "Four tickets, please!"

The woman smiled and cut four tickets off the roll. "Enjoy the ride!" She pressed a button, and the gate opened, allowing them inside.

"C'mon, Shin-shin; let's get a good car!" Kaito dragged Shinichi toward the Ferris wheel and waited for the next car—coincidentally number 13. They quickly climbed in and noticed Heiji and Kazuha still outside. "Aren't you coming?"

Heiji shook his head. "It's only two people per car; we'll be right behind ya!" The door closed, and they began to move. As they slowly climbed in elevation, they began to see many famous landmarks. Both kept silent as they admired the beauty.

Finally, they were at the top. Their car came to a stop, and both looked outside. Seeing mountains and skyscrapers at the same time sure was incredible. "So are you enjoying this?" Resting his chin on one hand, Kaito was staring at Shinichi with a smirk.

"Yes, it's quite amazing!" Shinichi started to exclaim, but something in the corner of his eye caught his attention—a _black_ something. His eyes narrowed. _What was that?_ He quickly looked out the window, where there on the roof of a nearby skyscraper was a man in solid black with long hair…Gin. He blanched and backed away from the window a little as he began to think.

 _He's here…here in Osaka. How the heck did he know I was here?! Unless…could he be_ following _me?_ He looked downward to hide the fear he showed, not noticing Kaito's concerned expression.

"Shin-shin, is something wrong? You're trembling."

Shinichi didn't respond.

Kaito sighed and offered a blanket to Shinichi, who grabbed it and tightly wrapped it around himself. However, Kaito doubted it was just cold that was making his _Tantei-kun_ tremble. He looked out the window to see if there was anything odd, but nothing caught his eye. He shook his head and waited for the ride to be over before sitting next to Shinichi on a bench. "What's wrong?" he asked again.

Shinichi pulled the blanket closer to himself and looked up, showing Kaito his fear. He was about to reply when a scream rang out. Since he knew Heiji was still in the Ferris wheel, he threw off the blanket and started to run. _It came from the building_ he _was at!_

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin, come back! You're too weak!" He cursed as he started to chase after the detective. _He said he wouldn't go after cases tonight…_


	11. Surprise 10: Peace at Last?

Surprise Ten: Peace at Last?

His eyes started to water. His lungs burned. His breaths were quick gasps. His legs and feet ached as they tried to tell him to stop. But he couldn't. He had to find the one that destroyed his life and have him taken away for good. He knew how everyone would react to this, but he didn't care; it was a _murderer_ that most likely just killed another person. After running two kilometers, he stopped in front of the building. There was indeed a body—a highly disfigured and charred body. As he hunched over in a coughing fit, he heard footsteps behind him and voices calling his name.

Kaito was the first one to get to Shinichi. "Shin-shin!" He crossed his arms with an upset look on his face. "Why did you run off like that? You know your body can't handle it!"

Shinichi wheezed. "Sorry…" He put a hand to his chest and fell to his knees as his legs gave out. Looking deathly pale, he looked up to Kaito. "I thought…I could make it."

Heiji cursed as he and Kazuha approached the two of them. "What the heck was that all about? Ya said ya wouldn't do that!"

Shinichi closed his eyes as Kaito wrapped the blanket around him. "Sorry." he whispered as he continued to take gasps for breath. "You were still in the car, and I panicked…"

Heiji shook his head with a huff. "Well, whatever; I know I'd do the same if I were ya. Kuroba, stay here with 'im an' make sure he doesn't try to leave. Kazuha, call my dad."

Kazuha quirked an eyebrow. "Why do you want me to call yer dad? Ya normally call 'im after it's solved…"

Heiji pursed his lips. "Just look; this is a lot like the last one."

Kaito's eyes widened. "You're right…"

Shinichi blanched. "W-wait," he stuttered, "are you s-saying it's a serial murder?"

Heiji looked downward and nodded. "There was another body similar to this while we were at the Shirahama Beach. It was red and puffy, and no one can explain it."

No longer able to hide his trembling, he looked up to Heiji. "It's them, i-isn't it?"

Heiji sighed and nodded again. "Yeah." He turned his gaze to Kazuha, who just finished the conversation. "What did he say?"

"He said he'll come take a look. In the meantime, we should head home since it's gettin' late. After all, I don't think Shinichi's doin' so good."

Heiji pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay. You guys take Kudou to the car, and I'll search around here for a little bit." He pulled out a small notebook, and the others did as they were told.

"Shinichi, how do you feel?" Kazuha asked gently as she helped him sit beside Kaito in the backseat of the car.

Shinichi moaned quietly and leaned on Kaito. "Awful… I'm so weak I can hardly move."

Kaito stroked his hair. "That's what you get for going off like that! Just relax, and we'll be back at the house soon…" He stopped as he felt Shinichi's forehead. "You're burning up! Where's your emergency pill?"

Shinichi closed his eyes as the world started spinning. "In my bag…"

The next half-hour was a blur to Shinichi. He remembered a speedy drive and lots of questions, but he didn't respond to anything. Finally, he felt himself being picked up and taken outside in the cool evening.

"Is he okay?"

"No. We need to take him inside and get him cooled off." The voice paused for a moment. "Shin-shin, are you still awake?"

Shinichi grunted in response and buried his head in Kaito's warm back.

Kaito sighed. "I don't think that pill is going to do anything for a while, so you need to try and sleep." He carefully carried Shinichi inside the air-conditioned house and placed him in bed. "Can you two get cool, wet cloths, a fan, and some water?" he asked Heiji and Kazuha.

They nodded and quickly left the room. Shinichi partially opened his bloodshot eyes and saw Kaito pacing the room with a concerned expression. "Kaito…"

The magician stopped and sat beside Shinichi. "Why aren't you asleep? I can tell you're fighting it."

Shinichi mumbled something into his pillow that sounded like "worried about you."

Kaito shook his head with a quiet laugh. "Shin-shin, you're the one that's unwell!" He squeezed one of Shinichi's hands.

Shinichi blinked rapidly as he struggled to stay awake. "Kai-kai…"

Just then, Heiji and Kazuha returned with everything they were told to get. Kaito thanked them and got to work on caring for Shinichi. He placed the cloths on his forehead and neck before plugging in the fan, setting it on a medium level, and handing Shinichi the glass of water.

Shinichi gave a weak smile. "Thanks…all of you." He drank half of the water before a strong wave of lethargy washed over him. He closed his eyes and instantly fell into a deep sleep.

The others sighed in relief and quietly left the room to play a few card games.

Once the grandfather clock stroked midnight, Kaito was ready for bed. "I should be going now; Shin-shin may have a nightmare tonight." Heiji and Kazuha waved as Kaito made his way to the guest room. Seeing Shinichi asleep and snoring, he snickered before climbing into bed next to him. _Sweet dreams…_ Unbeknownst to Kaito, Shinichi was already in the middle of another nightmare concerning Gin's appearance in Osaka.

 _He was trapped in some sort of empty room. The last thing he could remember was searching for Gin in an alley when he noticed someone behind him._

 _"I guess I got knocked out and taken here…" he muttered to himself as he stood up and checked himself. Everything from his phone to his tranquilizer watch was gone. He cursed and banged on the door. "Oi, what do you want with me?!"_

 _As he waited for a response, a knife appeared at his throat. "I want to kill you, Tantei."_

A scream came out of his throat as he sat up and gasped for breath. He looked at himself and saw he was sweating and trembling immensely.

Kaito slowly rose, rubbing his eyes. "Shin-shin?" he asked, still half-asleep. "Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare…?" He was interrupted when Shinichi buried his head in his chest and started to cry.

"I can't take it…" he sobbed. "I just can't take it anymore!"

Kaito gently rubbed the detective's back. "Shin-shin, it's okay; we're all here to help…"

Shinichi pushed himself away from Kaito. "He's _here_ , Kaito—here in Osaka! I saw him while we were on the Ferris wheel on the roof of the building where we saw the victim. _I'm being followed_ , Kaito."

With a slightly surprised expression, he hugged Shinichi and started to whisper soothingly until he stopped crying. "There, is that better?" he asked quietly. "Now, you can realize that you're not alone in this. If you ever feel like this, you should come to someone!"

Remembering a conversation from earlier, Shinichi looked downward. "I guess you're right…" He covered a yawn and started to sway. "But what if he…?"

Just then, a soft, melodic sound entered Shinichi's ears. His eyes widened slightly before they suddenly felt like dumbbells. He mumbled something with a faint smile as he fell into Kaito's arms and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

Kaito snickered, lying down with Shinichi still in his arms. _My my, Tantei-kun, it looks like you're quite troubled! But it_ is _strange that he was here…_ Frowning, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed Ai's number without realizing it was so late.

"Kuroba-kun, what do you want? I was just about to go to bed." Ai sounded really irritated; more so than normal.

Kaito didn't even joke around like he normally did. Instead, he sighed deeply. "My little scientist, I'm afraid Shin-shin not only knows about the cases somehow, but he also saw _him_ here in Osaka."

Ai noticed the nickname, but she knew it wasn't the time to bring it up. She shook her head as she turned the computer back on. "Alright, Kuroba-kun, where and when was it?"

"Um…we were at the Tempozan Ferris Wheel this evening, and he said he saw _him_ on top of a building. Since there was another body at its entrance, I'm assuming it was that TV station." Kaito noticed Shinichi was sweating again and placed a cloth on his forehead. "Do you know what we can do?"

Ai rubbed her temples. "Well, I suppose I'll have to look into it myself since Kudou-kun gets panicked when he sees him…" She paused for a moment. "But it's strange. He never did that when he was shrunk or even after the antidote was made; just now."

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it has to do with that attack?" he guessed. "Well, either way, we should be doing something about it; I hate seeing him like this—oh. I almost forgot how he went and _sprinted_ for a whole _two kilometers_ when we heard a scream…"

Ai cursed. "And you let him do that?"

"No way!" Kaito immediately replied. "He was sitting next to me on a bench and trembling when we heard it. Heiji-kun and Kazuha-san were still in the Ferris wheel, so I guess he thought of it as his responsibility and started running. I tried my best to catch up to him, but his adrenaline made him too fast. When I got there, he was having a coughing fit next to a charred body. Actually…if I remember right, it took him a while to fall asleep. I thought he was in the car, but he was probably just delirious with fever."

Ai shook her head. "He needs to realize he's digging himself an early grave! Kuroba-kun, it would be best if you keep a _very_ close eye on him for the next few days and make sure he doesn't do anything like that again. In the meantime, I'll see what I can find about Gin."

"Thanks a bunch, _ojou-san_!"

X

Shinichi slept deeply; so deeply that he didn't wake up until he was woken at two in the afternoon by Heiji. Kaito had protested by saying he needed it, but the Osakan detective had plans that he knew Shinichi would enjoy.

"Oi, Kudou!" Heiji shook him, but he didn't stir. He shook a little harder and got Shinichi to open his eyes.

"Hattori?" he slurred quietly as he put a hand to his head and sat up. He immediately felt dizziness, and his head felt full of cotton. "Is something wrong? Was there a case?"

Heiji grinned and ruffled his hair. "Nah, there's nothin' wrong, sleepyhead! I was just gonna see if ya wanted to do somethin' today since it's already two o'clock."

Shinichi snapped into awareness—or as close as his foggy brain would allow it. "It's that late already?" He tried to stand up but only lasted a few seconds before falling back and blanching. "I-I'm not sure I can do much today, Hattori; I can't even stand." He looked downward as the world slowly spun. "You can take Kaito, and I can stay here to rest. That's the best thing to do so I don't get in the way of anything…"

Heiji frowned. "Are ya sure, Kudou? I think we have a wheelchair in the closet if ya wanna go. I don't think Kuroba would be willin' to leave ya here alone either."

Shinichi sighed. "I guess you have a point." He lied back down to control the dizziness. "But where are you planning to go?"

Heiji snickered. "Oh, just the science museum; nothing _too_ much…"

There was a sparkle in Shinichi's eyes for a moment before he turned on his side. "Hattori, I don't know if I could enjoy it to its full potential. My head just won't work today…"

"But wouldn't it be nice to go anyway?" Heiji bent down beside Shinichi with a sad smile. "We could just go see the planetarium if ya wanted since they were remodelin' it the last time I went."

Shinichi thought about it. Eventually, he reluctantly agreed. "Um, is it fine if we eat first? I haven't eaten anything all day, and I have to take my pills."

Heiji, who was looking for the wheelchair in the bedroom closet, laughed. "That's fine. Oi, Kuroba!" He called out to Kaito.

The magician quickly entered the room. "What's up, Heiji-kun?" He looked to Shinichi and gasped. "Shin-shin, you look awful! Are you sure you want to go?"

Shinichi gave a faint smile. "Hattori said they have a wheelchair, so I don't have to worry about walking. Hopefully, the pills can help with everything else…" His whole body was tired and his eyes half-lidded, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even if he couldn't focus well, he knew he would never forget the memories, happiness, and excitement.

Kaito crossed his arms. "Sit up," he instructed.

Shinichi did so and winced as his head pounded and everything spun. Kaito shook his head and pushed him back onto the pillow. "See? You can't even sit up without getting dizzy."

Shinichi looked to Kaito with slightly pleading eyes. "Kaito, I want to go! Even if I can't think straight and get dizzy easily, I'll still enjoy myself. Besides, I haven't even had food or medicine yet, so we don't know how I'll be."

Kaito huffed. "That may be so, but I think I know why your mind's clouded." He pressed his hand to Shinichi's forehead and nodded to himself. "You definitely have a fever, which means you should probably take the emergency pill too." He grabbed the bag and handed Shinichi three pills.

Shinichi took them and turned away from the others with a quiet moan. "Hattori, how close are we to the museum? I forgot that the emergency pill makes me a bit drowsy."

Heiji smirked. "We're about twenty to thirty minutes away, so ya could take a quick nap before we get there. Kuroba, help me get 'im in the wheelchair." Shinichi closed his heavy eyes and felt himself being picked up. As he slowly slid into sleep, he heard a soft whisper in his ear. _Don't worry when you're away from harm._

"I thought ya were goin' in there to wake him!" Kazuha shook her head with a chuckle. "Did you have a change o' heart or somethin'?"

Heiji grinned. "Nah, he just took his meds an' got sleepy, so he's gonna rest until we get to the museum and okonomiyaki restaurant. If we have everythin', we can get goin' now before the evenin' traffic starts."

Kazuha mentally checked everything over. "Yup, I'm ready! How about you, Kaito?" She turned to the magician, who was deep in thought. "Um, Kaito, is everythin' okay?"

Kaito jumped a little as he snapped into awareness. "Oh, uh, sorry about that… I guess I'm a bit worried about Shinichi since he's not getting better."

Kazuha wrapped him in a light hug. "He'll be fine, Kaito! He just needs to rest, take his medicines, eat, and stay hydrated an' he'll be okay within a few days. The hardest part is keepin' him away from cases and such, but that's why ya can stay here 'til he's better!"

Kaito's eyes widened. "T-thank you, Kazuha-san." A smile made its way on his face as they all got in the car and started to drive.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a small okonomiyaki place. "Alright, time fer some good grub!" Heiji laughed. "Kuroba, would ya mind wakin' Kudou?"

Kaito agreed and carefully unbuckled the slumbering detective. "Shin-shin…" he whispered as he gently shook him. "Time to get up and eat something."

Shinichi rubbed his eyes with a yawn and sat up. "Oh, we're already here?" He stretched his arms and legs before opening the door and climbing into the wheelchair Heiji had set outside. They were about to head inside when Kaito stopped them.

"Hang on; I need to check Shinichi's temperature." He felt Shinichi's forehead and was relieved to feel it considerably cooler. "Shin-shin, how do you feel? Are you still dizzy?"

Shinichi frowned. "I'm not that dizzy, but I can't really focus… It feels like my head's full of wool or something!"

Kaito ruffled his hair. "Well, let's hope the food can help with that!" He stood up, and they entered the restaurant. _Shin-shin, I am_ really _hoping you can get better soon; you don't deserve to be like this!_


	12. Surprise 11: Who Needs Comfort?

Surprise Eleven: Who Needs Comfort?

After a filling meal of okonomiyaki, the four made their way to the Osaka Science Museum. Shinichi was by far the most excited and tried his best to see every little thing, even if his mind was still foggy. Finally, when there was only a half-hour left before closing time, Heiji stopped the others.

"C'mon, let's go see the planetarium!" He waved toward a hallway and led them to a dark room with a large dome roof that depicted a clear night sky. Everyone stopped and looked up to admire its beauty.

Shinichi gave a small smile. "I wish it was always like this; so tranquil and serene…"

Everyone quietly agreed before falling silent. Eventually, one of the employees entered the room. "I'm sorry, but the museum will be closing in five minutes. If you want to buy souvenirs, please do so now. Otherwise, thank you for coming!" He bowed and quickly left to attend to his other duties.

Shinichi frowned while considering something. "Hey Hattori, is it fine if I take a quick look at the souvenirs?" he asked.

Heiji was slightly surprised; he knew Shinichi wasn't the one to buy souvenirs. "Alright…" he reluctantly nodded and pushed the wheelchair to the gift shop. "What are ya lookin' fer, Kudou? A gift fer Neechan?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes and maneuvered himself to the books before focusing as hard as he could. He knew he'd have a horrible headache later, but it was important. After a bit of searching, he found a thick, musty book. "That's it!" He grabbed it and clutched it to his chest so no one could see it. "Okay, this is all I needed. Could you take me up to the register?"

Heiji raised an eyebrow. "What do ya need that fer? More importantly, what the heck is it? Some old Conan Doyle book or somethin'?"

Shinichi grinned mischievously. "I'm not telling…"

Kaito smirked. _Now_ that _is something I wouldn't expect to see. I'm a little curious myself as to what that book is…_ He watched as Shinichi paid for the book and kept it from everyone's eyesight with amusement. As they exited the museum, Shinichi quickly took out the book and started reading.

Kaito sighed. "Shin-shin, I'll never get you… Even if you're sick and everything, you still have the time to read an old book." For some reason, he saw the Osakan detective's eyes narrow. _Did he figure out what he bought it for?_ He quickly climbed in the car and waited for Shinichi to do the same.

Shinichi noticed this and closed the book. "Kaito, I'm not going to show you this." Shaking his head with a soft chuckle, he pressed the book to his chest and carefully sat down. Once he was in the safe, he returned to the contents of the book within an instant.

About five minutes later, Shinichi put the book away and rubbed his temples.

"What's wrong?" Kaito asked, slightly concerned. "You seemed like you were really after that book."

Shinichi rested his head on the back of Heiji's seat and closed his eyes. "I just couldn't read anymore," he replied quietly. "I got so dizzy that the words were starting to spin."

Kaito placed a hand on Shinichi's back. "If you want, I could read it to you."

Shinichi turned to Kaito with surprise. "Um, no, I'm fine. Besides, I can't really concentrate on it anyway…"

"Oi Kudou, what's that book about anyway?" Heiji inquired. "If it's somethin' I know, I can explain it to ya."

Shinichi shook his head. "I appreciate the kindness, but I'll be okay waiting a little while for my head to get better." He felt close to falling asleep, so he sat back up and tried to distract himself. Even so, he knew he nodded off a few times during the half-hour drive.

"Shin-shin, stop fighting it!" Kaito whispered after Shinichi jolted awake for the fourth time. "If you're tired, just go to sleep."

With half-lidded eyes, Shinichi denied. "I can wait until we get back to the house…" His voice was quiet and slurred, which didn't help. Thankfully, they pulled into the driveway at that moment. Before Shinichi could protest, Kaito picked up Shinichi in a princess-carry and took him to bed.

" _Sleep_ ," he ordered as he sat down. "I'm not moving from this spot until you're fully asleep and not faking in the slightest!"

The detective was almost asleep when he quickly sat up and turned deathly pale. "Oh no…Kaito, get my book, _now_." He sounded panicked for some reason, so Kaito quickly did so and returned to see him hunched over and vomiting.

Kaito clucked his tongue. "That's what you get for trying to do something too fast…" His tone may have sounded harsh, but he was gentle as he helped Shinichi lie back down and cleaned up the mess. "Here's your book. Where do you want it?"

Some of the color returned to Shinichi's face. "Hide it in the dresser somewhere—preferably the bottom-right drawer."

Kaito quirked an eyebrow but did as he was asked without question before lying down and wrapping Shinichi in a warm hug. "Now sleep, _Tantei-kun_ …"

They both fell fast asleep and had cheerful dreams that let them stay asleep for a long, pleasant rest.

Eventually, Kaito awoke with a jolt. _What time is it? It feels like I slept for days…_ He rubbed his eyes as he tried to read the digital numbers on the alarm clock. 12:30. Kaito smirked as he stood up to stretch. _No wonder I feel so refreshed! I am a little surprised that Heiji-kun didn't wake us up for another one of his plans though._ He quietly left the room and made his way to the kitchen to get two plates of breakfast and one large mug of coffee.

"Hey, Sleepyhead Number One is up!" Heiji grinned as he ruffled the magician's hair. "I thought ya were the one to not sleep much!"

Kaito smirked. "Well, I can't help sleeping longer if my roommate's not having nightmares anymore…" He walked over to the coffeepot and poured what was left in the largest mug. "Is there anything to eat? I know I need to get Shinichi up soon or else he'll sleep all day."

Heiji hummed thoughtfully. "I believe there's some eggs in the 'fridge if ya wanna make somethin' yerself. I remember Kudou's parents talkin' 'bout how ya were a great cook an' all…"

Kaito flushed a little in embarrassment. "I'm not that good; I just know a few things in the kitchen…" He opened the refrigerator and found the carton of eggs. He also noticed a package of bacon and sack of potatoes on the counter, so he decided to make a special dish. "Hey Heiji-kun, will you or Kazuha-san want any of this?" he asked after taking out everything.

Heiji shrugged. "I wouldn't mind some, but I don't think Kazuha will want any since she has a luncheon with some o' her coworkers today." He gestured to the hallway, where Kazuha was rushing out of her room in a fashionable outfit and matching bag.

"Okay, I'm leaving. Make sure to get Shinichi what he needs when he wakes up." She gave her husband a quick kiss on the cheek and waved to Kaito before opening the front door and leaving.

Kaito frowned. "She wasn't wearing any makeup," he noted aloud. "I thought she was the one to do that."

Heiji chuckled. "She is, but she never puts it on 'til she's already out o' the house. I guess she doesn't want to let me see it; she didn't even wear any for our weddin'!"

Kaito shook his head. "I'll never get girls…" A picture of a certain inspector's daughter flashed in his mind with a mop in her hands and a bright-red face. "They are _so_ tight-wired when it comes to jokes!"

Heiji could only agree, so he sipped his coffee and watched Kaito as he cooked. Fifteen minutes later, the magician snapped his fingers, and the food in the skillet transported itself onto three plates. With another snap, one of the plates appeared in front of Heiji with a set of chopsticks at its side.

The Osakan detective rolled his eyes, quickly seeing through the tricks, as he picked up the chopsticks. "Thanks, but why the cheap tricks?"

Kaito faked a hurt expression and put his hands on his hips. "I'll have you know they're not that easy to pull off! Besides, it's good practice for me!" He picked up the other two plates and mug of fresh coffee with ease and quietly entered the guest room.

Shinichi could smell the food and coffee, but his mind was blank and couldn't tell him to sit up or even open his eyes. He groaned and turned over toward the wall, pulling the blanket over his face.

Kaito smiled and set down the food on the desk. "Shin-shin, you need to get up and eat something!" He lightly shook him with a laugh.

Shinichi threw off his blanket and blearily opened his eyes. "Kaito?" he slurred as he put a hand over his face. "What time is it? Are we doing anything today?"

Kaito sat down and ruffled his hair. "It's almost one already, so I doubt we're doing anything." His eyebrows furrowed when he noticed Shinichi was rather pale. "Hey, are you okay? You don't look so good…"

Shinichi shook his head. "No…" he moaned quietly. "My brain just won't do anything; I can't even sit up."

Kaito frowned. "That's probably because you went and sprinted two kilometers after being stabbed in the stomach. You were a bit sick too, so I don't think it helped too much!" He helped Shinichi sit up and handed him the food. "Here, you need to eat. I also got some coffee made for when you're done with that."

Shinichi rubbed his temples. "Thanks…um, could you get those pillows to help me stay up? I don't think I can hold myself long." Kaito did so, and Shinichi began to eat. After that and the entire mug of coffee, Shinichi leaned back into the pillows and sighed. "Man, I am so drained today…"

Kaito smirked. "Just rest then; maybe you'll feel better after your pills and a nap." He flicked his wrist, and three pills appeared in his hand. "I figured that you'd need that emergency pill too since you look feverish."

Shinichi smiled sleepily and took them before closing his heavy eyes. "Don't let me sleep too long…" he mumbled before drifting off in Kaito's arms.

Kaito gave him a light kiss on the forehead before carefully lying him down and walking to the kitchen to wash dishes, quietly closing the door behind him.

Heiji looked up from his newspaper at the sound of Kaito's footsteps. "How's Kudou?" he asked. "Is he any better than yesterday?"

Kaito shook his head. "Actually, I think he may be worse. He couldn't even sit up on his own, and he looked really tired and feverish. He also said that he couldn't think straight, which is a little worrying…"

Heiji set down the newspaper and gestured for Kaito to sit. "I think he'll be fine in a day or two. He's probably just overexerted 'imself since his body's still messed up after takin' that antidote. An' with the crash an' injury…" He stopped himself. "Speakin' o' that, how is his injury recoverin'?"

Actually, Kaito remembered he hadn't changed Shinichi's bandage today. "Not sure. You can come with me while I'm changing the bandage if you want." They both stood up and returned to the guest room, where the detective was deeply asleep and loudly snoring.

Heiji snickered. "If only his little Neechan could see this…" he thought aloud.

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, I was curious about that. Does Shinichi have a sister or something?" He changed the subject as he used the mound of pillows to set Shinichi upright.

Heiji grinned. "Nah, he's an only child. Ya can ask 'im 'bout it later since I don't know the full story…" He gasped when Kaito pulled up Shinichi's shirt. The previously-solid-white bandage was now dark red almost everywhere. " _Kuso_ , that looks bad!"

Kaito blanched. "It looks like he was bleeding all day yesterday and didn't tell anyone…" He silently cursed and turned to Heiji. "Okay, do you know how to administer first aid?"

Heiji nodded, slightly confused. "Yeah, but what are you…?" His eyes widened as Kaito started unwinding the bandage. "Oi, you can't just take it off like that!" He stopped the magician and backed him away from Shinichi so he could get to work. He could tell Kaito was leaning over his shoulder with worry, but he had to deal with the matter at hand.

He thought Shinichi would wake up at some point, but he remained passed out the entire time. He did break out in a sweat when the bandage was removed from the sudden loss of pressure on the wound, so Heiji had Kaito leave the room to get cool cloths. With a huff, he cleaned the wound before applying antibiotic cream and clean bandages. It looked pretty deep—deep enough that Heiji was surprised that he could even move, let alone sprint two kilometers to trace the source of a scream. _Kudou, sometimes I wonder who's crazier between me and you!_

"Heiji-kun, I got the cloths!" Kaito returned to the room and stopped to watch as Heiji lied Shinichi down in the futon and carefully covered him. "I-is he okay?" he asked shakily.

Heiji smiled reassuringly. "Kuroba, he'll be fine soon; he just needs a bit o' time to recover!" He took the cloths and placed them on Shinichi's forehead and neck before standing up. "Alright, let's just leave him here fer a while an' find somethin' to do."

The magician frowned. "But is it okay to just leave him like this? He may have a nightmare again." He was looking down at Shinichi with a hint of worry.

Heiji rolled his eyes. "He'll be fine on his own, but I suppose we could play a game of chess in here…" He sighed and turned to Kaito. "Kuroba, why are you so worried about him? You know he will be okay in a few days!"

Kaito sat back down on the floor with a plop. "Yeah, I get that. But there's something else that's bothering him; I can feel it. He's just seemed off for a while and won't say anything to me about it, so I'm a bit concerned…" His eyes widened as Heiji started to shake Shinichi. "Oi, don't wake him!"

Heiji did anyway, and Shinichi rubbed at his eyes and yawned. "What's up? Are we doing something today after all?"

Heiji shook his head. "Nah, Kuroba was just curious about somethin' that I can't answer." He kept it brief and quickly left the room.

Shinichi looked to Kaito and saw the fear in his eyes. "What's wrong, Kaito?" he asked.

Kaito carefully hid his expression and attempted to hide his trembling—the latter not working so well. "Shin-shin, why have you been acting so differently?" he whispered a little shakily. "Ever since you had that crash and the attack, you're not yourself!"

Shinichi couldn't help but smirk. "I thought you figured it out ages ago…" He put a hand under his pillow and pulled out a manila folder. Inside was a stack of notes with his father's report on top. "I found out about the murders. That is what caused my crash, Kaito. I've been trying my best to figure out as much as possible as to Gin's appearance, but nothing adds up; he should have died ages ago. All I've been doing is losing sleep from work and stress and…" He was cut off when Kaito hugged him and burst into tears.

"Oh, Shin-shin, I was so scared that he did something horrible to you and you were in trouble; I could hardly sleep at night since I thought he'd come for you!" He sobbed and buried his head in Shinichi's chest.

Shinichi stroked his hair. "Kaito…" He was shocked; he didn't realize that Kaito could notice it so well. He knew he was close to crying himself, but he didn't want to make it worse. Instead, he managed to softly lull Kaito into a doze before a strong lethargic feeling washed over him. _Let's hope we can leave Osaka tonight; we've had enough stress!_

X

"Wha—Kazuha? What's wrong; aren't ya still at that luncheon?"

"Um, yes, but…"

"But what? Did somethin' happen? Don't tell me…"

"Yeah…we were talkin' 'bout some new designs over cups o' tea when Moriyama-han suddenly fell out o' her chair. I knew from what ya told me that she was poisoned and tried my best, but she was dead. Everyone thinks I'm callin' the cops now, but I want ya to look it over first to see if it…" Her voice broke off with a quiet sob. "If it was murder."

Heiji huffed. "Alright, I'll come. First, I need to make sure Kudou stays here, or else things could get really bad fer him." He quickly hung up and made his way to the guest room. He stifled a laugh when he saw them both sound asleep in their futons. "Thank goodness they're asleep; they don't need to interfere, especially now!"


	13. Surprise 12: More Preparations?

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of the love and support! I am very happy that you love this story so far, and I will admit this is the last chapter of being at Heiji's before we head to a new arc and ADVENTURE *nudge nudge*. Anyways, yes, "Bear," I do plan on having more parts where Shinichi protects Kaito; I agree that it's SUPER ADORABLE! ;) Again, thanks for the support-I bring to you Surprise Twelve!**_

* * *

Surprise Twelve: More Preparations?

Heiji quickly left the house and slightly speeded his way to the luncheon, where he found his very pale wife by the front door.

"Heiji!" She waved and rushed to him. "Hurry in; everyone else is starting to panic."

Heiji silently nodded and entered the building. He looked around the main entrance hall and saw four young women whispering to each other in the corner. "Alright, ladies, I'll explain what I want you to do. First, I would like the victim identified by name, age, and a few key characteristics in their life."

They turned to the Osakan detective, and their eyes widened. "It's Hattori Heiji the detective!" they exclaimed in surprise. They also whispered something, but Heiji didn't quite catch it.

Heiji bowed his head. "Yes, I am. My wife called saying there was a body here. Where is it?" The women shakily pointed to the dining room, so he, without hesitation, strode in the room to see the picture painted for him this time. From the looks of it, the woman was poisoned by something in her tea, which means it was in her cup specifically.

"She was the vice-president o' designs," a voice whispered. Kazuha quietly approached her husband with a somber expression. "She's basically the one in charge here since I'm only here to supervise, so…"

"Kazuha, do you usually have assigned seats?" Heiji interrupted, flipping his ball cap around so the bill faced the front of his head.

Kazuha frowned. "Um, just me an' her…why?"

Heiji's eyes lit up. "That explains that…" He stopped himself as a thought struck him. Feeling a bit faint, he began to closely examine his wife. Sure enough, there were slim signs of a sleeping pill of sorts in her system.

"Um, Heiji…what are you doing?" She felt her face start to burn while Heiji inspected her. But he was quickly finished, a hand at his chin and a look of deep thought. She considered asking him again, but she knew his thoughts were precious—especially in this kind of situation.

" _Kuso_ ," Heiji whispered to himself as he crouched by the body and scanned around before finding something shiny. It was a thin piano wire, which was still tightly wound around her index finger. "Kazuha, did she have any strange habits while drinking tea? And was there anyone wearing a necklace or bracelet earlier that isn't?"

Kazuha thought for a moment. "Um, she did have that habit o' dippin' a finger in her tea to test the temperature an' taste… As fer the jewelry, I think the only ones with bracelets or necklaces were Moriyama-han and Tatsuo-han." She gasped. "Wait, where did Moriyama-han's necklace go?!" She pointed to the victim's neck, which was bare. "She was wearin' a really pretty pearl necklace her husband got her fer their anniversary!" She suddenly stopped and blushed before turning around. "You better not have looked at me…"

Heiji laughed. "Don't worry; I'm just lookin' at this case!" But he was lying through his teeth, and he felt his wife knew it; he had immediately noticed the makeup and how it brought out the shine in her emerald green eyes. Feeling his face grow hot, he coughed a bit. "Anyway, look around to see if ya find any pearls around the place. Be sure to look everywhere from the bathrooms to the dumpster outside."

"Oh, are you looking for this, _Tantei-han_?" One of the young women walked in the room with one clenched fist. She opened it and revealed two small pearls. "I found these lying around…"

"Where did ya find 'em?" Heiji quickly rushed up to her, making her jump. "Where were these pearls?"

The woman looked away. "Um, they were in the entrance's trash can."

Not paying enough attention from his racing thoughts, Heiji rushed to the entrance hall and found the trash can. Indeed, there were many pearls—enough for a normal-sized necklace. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the person slowly walking to him and pulling out a gun. When he finally did, the gun was at his temple.

"Now now, Tantei-han, you shouldn't be getting your little nose in other people's business…" The woman who "found" the necklace grinned slyly. "Stand and put your hands up or else your _sweet_ little Kazuha will be dead."

Heiji blanched despite himself. "How dare ya…" Hatred filled his eyes as he realized everything. "I know yer story. Yer Tatsuo-han, wife o' that recently convicted serial murderer, right? I remember ya; ya were the one tryin' to say ya killed 'em all, but the evidence pointed to him. Was this yer revenge?"

Tatsuo laughed. "As if! Moriyama-han was just in my way. My real revenge will be with _you_ , the one who falsely accused my husband!"

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "So ya killed her fer nothin' then." He thought of a way to approach her and decided to test it—he would use speed and agility from kendo. He was able to move far enough away from her, but not without being grazed by a bullet in the arm. He was about to run and snatch the gun when she suddenly fell to the floor. Surprised, he slowly crouched beside her and realized she fell asleep. "Kudou, why are ya here?" he sighed.

Shinichi quietly stepped out of the shadows, a child's watch in his hands. "Sorry, Hattori, but we were surprised to find you gone without a note or anything. I thought the worst and came in a taxi with Kaito."

"Yup!" Kaito popped out of nowhere, his presence staying hidden until he spoke. "Shin-shin woke up first and could tell you weren't there. I told him you probably went here to see Kazuha-san, but he thought it was a murder here and dragged me with. Speaking of which, that's an interesting gadget you have there…"

"Oh, this?" Shinichi held up the watch. "This is something I had made when I was Conan. It's a watch that shoots a tranquilizer—I used it to make 'Sleeping Kogorou.'"

"Ah," Kaito nodded, "that makes sense." He turned to the Osakan detective. "Are you okay, Heiji-kun? I see you're holding your arm. Did that bullet hit you?"

Heiji smiled in reassurance. "Nah, it just grazed me a bit; I'll be fine…" But Kazuha was stepping in the room with a roll of bandages and pulling Heiji's hand off of his arm.

She gasped. "Heiji, this looks awful! Sit down _right now_ , an' I'll put this on it." She forced Heiji to the floor and started applying an antibiotic cream before carefully wrapping the bandage around the wound. "There, that's better. Can you stand without gettin' dizzy?"

Heiji nodded and pulled himself up. "I'm fine, Kazuha…but thanks." He gave his wife a light kiss before pulling out his phone. "I need to call Otaki-han and tell him what happened. The rest o' ya can get in the car and wait fer the cops to get here and take care o' everything."

Shinichi looked downward. "I'm sorry for not shooting sooner," he whispered. "I didn't think she would actually shoot you when you ran…"

Heiji gave his fellow detective a hug. "It's not yer fault, Kudou; I was just actin' reckless again! I felt she'd miss me an' started runnin' without thinkin' anythin' through."

Shinichi gave a small smile. "I suppose you're right. Thanks, Hattori." With the magician's help, he followed Kazuha outside and left Heiji alone.

Heiji sighed in relief. "Thank goodness…" He dialed Otaki's number and waited for an answer.

"Hei-chan, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Can you an' a few extra men come here an' arrest this woman fer murder and attempted murder?"

Otaki shook his head. "Hei-chan, ya need to stop—wait, did ya say attempted murder? Were ya hurt?"

Heiji laughed. "Yeah, the bullet she shot grazed me a bit, but Kazuha's already treated it. I have the culprit knocked out right now, an' there are a few witnesses to the victim's death. Since Kazuha was one of 'em, does she have to come to the station as well?"

Otaki thought for a moment. "Well, she could tomorrow after makin' sure yer okay after gettin' hit. Fer now, just get home an' let the wound heal itself; we can make our own report."

"Are ya sure?" Heiji sounded reluctant. "I heard an' saw quite a bit in the time I was here…"

Otaki chuckled. "It will be fine, Hei-chan! Just get home an' spend some time with yer wife and kid; I can handle this." He hung up, finalizing his decision.

Heiji shook his head and put his phone away. "I guess I don't have much of a choice. But I am a little suspicious about how Kudou an' Kuroba got here since I know there aren't taxis 'round my place…" He made his way outside, where Kazuha forced him to the passenger seat.

"You are _not_ driving us home with that injury!" she exclaimed as she plopped in the driver seat and started the car.

Heiji smirked and rolled his eyes. "Oi Kudou, how did ya two really get here? 'Cuz I know fer a fact that there's no taxis 'round my place." He turned around to face Shinichi.

Shinichi blanched despite himself. "Um, well…"

"He ran," Kaito cut in abruptly. "He got up and had me check if anyone was around since he noticed the silence. I told him you left, and he immediately panicked and ran outside. I was able to stop him after a couple blocks, but all he told me was that he had a bad feeling."

Heiji's eyes widened. "You ran off _again_?" He huffed. "Kudou, I think yer worse than me when it comes to bein' reckless! Ya know yer not well, and yet here ya are, runnin' off after dead bodies…"

Shinichi bowed his head. "Sorry," he whispered. "I knew right away that there was a murder and thought it may have been Kazuha, so I started to run. If it helps, Kaito can take me home tonight to keep a better eye on me…"

Kaito grinned. "Don't forget those _Chiisana Tantei_!" He ruffled Shinichi's hair. "But in all seriousness, I think that going home tonight is a good idea; we've intruded on this loving couple too much."

Kazuha smiled. "I didn't care; ya'll were havin' fun too! We _do_ need to get Akemi back though…"

Heiji agreed before looking out the window and losing himself in his thoughts about the case, Shinichi's situation, and the organization. _Man, I feel bad fer Kudou… He willingly took my invitation to Osaka knowin' he wasn't his best an'_ willingly _took all o' the murders thrown at him. He has a lot to deal with back home, an' I feel like I made it worse._ He let out a small sigh. _I'm hopin' that magician friend o' his can get him back on his feet again, or else he'll become trapped in his own mind._

X

Shinichi knew he was tired when they boarded the plane that evening and said goodbyes to Heiji and Kazuha, but he had a lot of thinking and research to deal with. He quietly sat down in his window seat and pulled out his book from the science museum.

Kaito gave a sad smile. "Hey, don't you want to sleep right now? You'll have plenty of time when we get home to do that…"

Shinichi merely shook his head and buried himself further within the book's contents as the words started to spin. He knew this wasn't just from lack of sleep, so he quickly took an emergency pill when Kaito wasn't looking. After about fifteen minutes, the pill kicked in, and his eyes grew heavier. _Kuso, I can't go to sleep yet!_ But his eyes eventually slid shut as he slumped onto Kaito's shoulder and began to softly snore.

Kaito snickered and covered him with a blanket. "That's much better! Sweet dreams, my _Tantei-kun_ …" He pulled out a second blanket and cuddled up to Shinichi before dozing off.

 _Shinichi was on top of the TV station's building. He had sensed a familiar presence coming from this exact roof, but all he could see was darkness._

 _"Come out, Gin!" he shouted angrily. "Come face the truth!"_

 _A quiet laugh came from all directions. "Oh ho, you have a supposed truth? You don't know the first thing about me, Tantei-san."_

A quiet gasp came from Shinichi's throat as he jolted awake, covered in a cold sweat and with a racing heart. He looked to his side and was slightly calmed when seeing the slumbering magician. _Thank goodness he's still asleep; I hate it when he gets overanxious about me…_ He shakily stood up and found one of the flight attendants.

"Is something wrong?" she asked in a whisper. "You look pale."

"Um, I just need a glass of water…" Shinichi replied shyly. "Could you get me one?"

The flight attendant gave him a comforting smile and plastic cup of water. "Just take deep breaths, and you'll be back to sleep in no time!"

Shinichi thanked her and returned to his seat, gulping down the water and following her advice. But it didn't work. He couldn't stop thinking about what Gin had said in his dream. _You don't know the first thing about me._ After using the rest of the flight for deep thinking, he realized that the dream was right; he hardly knew a thing about Gin except that he was true evil.

 _But what could that mean? Do I somehow know Gin's true identity?_ His thoughts were interrupted when the flight attendant announced their arrival at the airport.

Kaito yawned and opened his eyes. "It's already morning?" He turned to Shinichi and smirked when seeing him in his signature thinking pose. "Shin-shin, did you get enough sleep?" he asked.

Shinichi jumped a bit. "Oh, um, yeah." The plane had finished its landing, so he quickly stood up and grabbed their bags and started to make his way through the crowd.

Kaito's eyes narrowed. _That's odd…he isn't the one to give partial answers like that. Did he have another nightmare? Or could it have been something worse?_ He felt himself starting to worry, so he just decided to label it as nervousness from leaving Heiji and go. However, once they were back at the Kudou household, he noticed how tired Shinichi looked.

"So what do you want to do…?" He stifled a yawn and just about choked when Kaito started examining him. "Oi, what are you doing?"

"Shin-shin, you need to go to bed." Kaito frowned as he grabbed Shinichi's arms. "You look super tired, so you're going upstairs and resting all day!"

Surprisingly, Shinichi didn't protest. "Alright…" he mumbled as he rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I can hardly stay awake as it is." He allowed Kaito to lead him to bed and tuck him in.

"Now go to sleep," Kaito whispered soothingly as he sat down in the desk chair. "I'll wake you when dinner's ready tonight."

Shinichi closed his eyes and turned on his side. "Stay with me…until I fall asleep."

Kaito snickered. "I'll stay as long as you need me!" He began to rub Shinichi's back and waited for his muscles to relax before singing a quiet lullaby. He knew Shinichi fell asleep fairly quickly, but he still finished the song before tiptoeing out of the room.

"Ah, that's much better! This huge house seems more peaceful when that _Tantei-kun_ isn't stressing about another case…" He was about to sit down when he remembered he should check the mailbox since they were gone for a few days. Sure enough, there was a letter inside addressed to the Kudous.

 _To Whom It May Concern:_

 _As you may have seen in newspapers, there has been a luxurious cruise ship recently built that's preparing for its maiden voyage. I, the man in charge of its construction, would like to invite you to board for its journey around Japan! There are four tickets enclosed, so you may bring one extra person if you'd like. The ship leaves at noon this Saturday at the Beika Port, so don't be late! Besides, how else can you get together with all of the elite celebrities? ;)_

 _~Akai Kaoru_

Kaito frowned. _This looks like a lot of fun…but why do I feel a sense of dread? Is it just because I'm nervous about Shinichi finding a dead body? Well, that can't be helped; those cases literally follow him! Maybe I'm just being overprotective towards him…_ After enough thinking, he decided it was best to call Shinichi's parents.

"Hello? Is that you, Kai-chan?"

"Um, yeah...I was curious about what I should do about Shinichi. We just came back from seeing Heiji-kun and Kazuha-san for a few days, and we got an invitation to go on a cruise ship…"

Yukiko gasped. "Ooh, I just _love_ ships!" she started to exclaim before silencing herself. "Oh, sorry, Yu-chan, I'm talking on the phone." There was a slight pause. "So Kai-chan, are you wondering if you should take Shin-chan on that ship?"

Kaito agreed.

Yukiko giggled. "Honestly, I think it would be good for him to get out of the house and away from all of the cases. Plus, he can spend a lot of the time relaxing and enjoying himself!"

Kaito sighed. "I suppose you're right…" He nodded to himself. "Ok, I'll take him tomorrow afternoon once he's rested up and make sure he has lots of fun!"


	14. Surprise 13: Unexpected Attendee?

Surprise Thirteen: An Unexpected Attendee?

Shinichi quickly awoke from a feverish nightmare and began to panic from the darkness. _Why is it so dark? Did_ he _find me and kidnap me when Kaito wasn't around?_ All of a sudden, there was a hand on his shoulder. "Who's there?" He immediately backed away from the person and felt the color drain from his face. "What do you want with me?"

The person stood up and turned on the light. It was only Kaito, who wore a sad smile. "Are you okay?" he asked as he sat beside the shaken detective. "I heard you tossing and turning in your sleep. Was it another nightmare?"

Shinichi fell back against his pillows as relief washed over him. "Um, yeah, I think I'm okay. It was probably another nightmare, but I don't really remember it…"

Kaito frowned, for he knew Shinichi was lying. "Then why are you still trembling?" He pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping at Shinichi's sweaty face.

Shinichi looked away. "Well, I-I guess it just surprised me."

Kaito pulled out a thermometer and stuck it in Shinichi's mouth. He had a fever again, so he lied him back down and offered a pill. "Here, this can help you sleep and reduce your fever."

Shinichi reluctantly took the pill and looked to Kaito with wide eyes. "Kaito…I'm scared. How much will he do to hurt me and the ones I care about? How many will he kill?" He tightly grasped Kaito's hands.

Kaito closed his eyes and sighed. "Shin-shin, I don't know the answer to that. I wish I did so we could just get it over with! But that is why I am here—so I can help you solve this." He gave Shinichi a hug before standing up. "Since I know you can't sleep, how about a game of chess? It's relaxing and lets your mind focus on something else."

Shinichi smirked. "Sure…but is it fine that you're getting less sleep?" He tilted his head slightly in puzzlement. "I know you normally don't sleep much as it is…"

Kaito ruffled his hair. "I'll be fine! After all, we have plenty of time over the next few days to relax—oh, I forgot to tell you… I found an invitation in the mailbox for us to attend a cruise ship's maiden voyage around Japan. I talked to your parents about it, and they said it was best if you went so you could take your mind off of cases and stuff."

While Kaito was heading to the library for the chess board and pieces, Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he slipped into his thoughts. _So we're going on a ship fairly soon. I wouldn't normally mind, but with the lack of sleep and the need of my dad's library…_ He shook his head with a huff. _At this rate, Gin will…no. I need to stop thinking like that or else I'll give myself and Kaito anxiety attacks. I_ am _curious about this invitation though. Why did he invite me and my family? Well, I suppose I've been solving a lot of cases lately, Mom's got that new role in America, and Dad just released that book…_

"Oi, Shin-shin!" Kaito waved a hand in front of Shinichi's face as he sat down on the bed. "Snap out of it and set up your pieces!"

Shinichi's eyes came back into focus, and he jumped a bit. "S-sorry, Kaito; I guess I was more in my thoughts than I expected!" He forced a small laugh as he took out the black pieces from the box and set them on the board. "But in all seriousness, thanks for doing this. I really appreciate it."

Kaito snickered. "I already said I don't mind, Shin-shin! Okay, it's your move." He moved a pawn two spaces and gestured to the board.

The two held light and friendly conversation while playing their chess game. Shinichi noticed his thoughts starting to slip to that of the case, but he forced himself to think of the game. Finally, after using a complex strategy, Shinichi got Kaito in checkmate.

"Checkmate!" He moved forward his bishop to snag Kaito's final piece off the board and winning the game. "Ah, that was nice; you're pretty good at chess, Kaito!" He motioned to the pieces Kaito was able to take.

Kaito grinned. "I have had a little practice…" He paused for a moment. "I'm glad you're in a better mood, Shin-shin. You think you can go back to sleep now?"

With a long yawn, Shinichi nodded and closed his heavy eyes. "I'm dead tired…" he mumbled while Kaito picked up the game. "Can I just sleep all day tomorrow?"

Kaito laughed. "I'm afraid not, _Tantei-kun_. The ship leaves at noon, so we'll leave at about eleven-thirty and board. Once it leaves, you may sleep as long as you like!"

Shinichi whispered something incoherent into his pillow.

Kaito's eyebrows furrowed. "What did you say?" he asked.

Shinichi partially opened his eyes. "Can you sleep with me tonight?" he inquired softly. "I'm afraid I'll have another nightmare…"

Kaito smiled and lied down beside him. "Of course; after all, your sleep is essential to enjoying yourself!" He closed his eyes before enveloping Shinichi in a hug and falling fast asleep. Both slept peacefully for the rest of the night and had no nightmares.

Once Kaito finally awoke, it was already nine o'clock. _I guess I was tired too…_ He yawned and stretched, looking down at the slumbering detective. He was still completely passed out and snoring with a child-like expression on his face. Snickering, he set about to pack for their cruise around Japan. Half an hour later, he had everything packed and a small breakfast made.

 _Wow, I'm pretty good at working fast! I should get some of this food upstairs and root Shin-shin out of bed though…_ He placed a plate of pancakes and a mug of coffee on a tray and carried it up to Shinichi's room.

Shinichi could smell the food and coffee, but he felt super sluggish and didn't want to get up. However, Kaito started to lightly shake him. "Shin-shin, get up; we need to get ready!"

Shinichi groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing a hand over his eyes. "It's time already?" he mumbled sleepily. "It feels like I only slept for ten minutes…"

Kaito grinned. "Here, this food and coffee should wake you up! I know you're drained and lacking sleep, but I also want you to have some fun and time to relax. After we're boarded and everything, you can take a nap in the room."

Shinichi gulped down the coffee immediately and slightly came out of his daze. "How much do I need to pack?" he asked as he set down the empty mug.

Kaito gestured to two suitcases by the door. "I already have everything packed! All you need to do is eat and get dressed, and we can go to the port."

Shinichi looked over to his digital clock and saw the time. "9:40?" he asked. "Why so early? I thought you said the ship leaves at noon!"

Kaito shrugged. "It does, but we have some time now to do something before we board the ship…"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "You wanted a rematch in chess, didn't you? Alright, you can bring the board up here while I finish eating this." Kaito left the room, and Shinichi quickly put away the food and started searching his bag for the book from the science museum. But he couldn't find it.

 _No way…it can't be gone! I can't afford to lose a book like that; it could cost everything!_ Panicked, he searched around his room as much as his body would allow before collapsing back on the bed. _It's gone. The key to this case has disappeared. Knowing my luck, it was stolen on the plane without me realizing._ He heaved a sigh as Kaito returned with the game.

Kaito smiled. "Hey, you better eat your breakfast before you try thinking, _Tantei-kun_." He sat on the bed and noticed how tense the detective seemed. "Are you okay?" he inquired, a little worried.

Shinichi's eyes widened as he forced himself out of his saddening thoughts. "Oh, um, I'm fine; I was just thinking about something." He grabbed the black chess pieces and set them on the board.

Kaito frowned. "Aren't you going to eat though? It seems like you haven't eaten much over the past few days, even though you need it."

Shinichi shook his head. "I'm just not really hungry." They started their game, but Kaito knew Shinichi wasn't thinking about the game at all. Eventually, he looked into Shinichi's azure eyes. "Shin-shin, answer me honestly. What's wrong?"

Shinichi's eyes darkened. "I told you, I'm okay…" He was cut off when Kaito wrapped him in a tight hug and let his worried tears roll down his cheeks.

"Shin-shin, just tell me," he whispered shakily. "I know something's wrong, and I hate it when you're scared or stressed!

Shinichi closed his eyes and rested his head on Kaito's shoulder. "I'm sorry for worrying you like this…" He felt close to a breaking point, but he knew he would only make Kaito more worried. "I'm just getting stressed over something I shouldn't, that's all."

Kaito had a feeling he was lying, but he didn't want to push it after feeling all of the stress Shinichi seemed to emit. "Alright then. Let's finish this game and get out stuff in the car so we can leave." They did so—Shinichi won again by a long-shot—and drove to the port, making it there right at 11:30.

"Ah, welcome! I presume you are Kudou Shinichi the detective, right? Please sign your name on the guest list and take this commemoration pin as a souvenir." A young woman in navy blue and white smiled and gestured to a table in front of her. "Your friend over there can do the same."

Shinichi wrote down his name and took a pin, noting Kaito's eyes narrowing. "Hey, is something wrong?" he asked quietly.

Kaito grinned and shook his head, going to the clipboard and grabbing a pen. _I know there was a tracking device in that pin; I could see it. There seems to be an eerie aura this ship is giving off too, but I can't figure out what or why. Well, I should try to be cautious…_ Adjusting himself slightly so Shinichi couldn't see the paper, he wrote down an alias and took a pin. _I'll try and destroy these later,_ he thought as he and Shinichi boarded the ship.

"Wow…" Both were stunned by the grandeur of the ship. Just the entrance had crystal chandeliers, leather seats, and soft, white carpets.

"Ah, Kudou-kun!" A familiar voice boomed from a few feet away. It was Inspector Megure, accompanied by Takagi and Sato. "It's been a while! How have you been?"

Shinichi gave a small wave and approached them. "To be honest, I've been pretty busy with all these cases…but with this _mother hen_ over here, I can hardly do anything."

Kaito crossed his arms. "Says the one that runs off when you're injured and sick!"

Shinichi winced. "Well yeah, but there was a scream…"

"You're sick?" Takagi interrupted with the raise of an eyebrow. "Are you well enough to be on this cruise?"

Shinichi smiled. "I'm getting better; I'm just a little short on sleep."

"Pardon the intrusion, but who is your companion, Kudou-kun?" Sato piped up. "I don't think I've seen him before."

Kaito bowed. "I am Kuroba Kaito, magician extraordinaire and current caretaker of Shinichi." He pulled a rose out of nowhere and handed it to Sato.

Sato took the rose with a smirk. "But why do you need a caretaker, Kudou-kun? Have you been getting colds again?" She remembered the times when he tried to enter the First Division soon after his sudden reappearance coughing, sneezing, and with a fever.

Shinichi bit his lip. "Well…" he hesitated. "Remember when I told you guys about _that_? It still affects me sometimes, and Haibara wanted someone to keep an eye on me so I don't overwork myself."

All three officers nodded; they clearly remembered the conversation in which Shinichi told them why he disappeared for two years. Takagi had fainted, and Megure had come close. Sato was the one that repeatedly interrogated him about it until she fully believed him.

"Ano, are you sure you'll be okay, Kudou-kun?" Takagi looked to the detective with a hint of concern. "You look awful."

Shinichi waved it off with a small yawn. "I'll be fine; I'm going to take a quick nap later. Besides, I doubt Kaito is going to let me anywhere near a case if there is one!"

Kaito grinned and ruffled his hair. "No way, _baka_! Even if the police wasn't here, I wouldn't let you near it until it's cleaned out and solved."

Sato smiled as Shinichi walked off toward the back deck. "It's good that you're here for him, Kuroba-kun," she whispered to Kaito. "Lately, I've been worried with all of the cases he's had. Ever since you came, I've noticed he's a lot calmer and relaxed." She paused to place a hand on his shoulder. "Just be sure to stay with him—especially when he needs you most. If he loses you at that time, he'll lose himself."

Kaito smirked. "That's true…" He turned to face the officers. "Did you notice anything odd about this ship? Like the person with the clipboard handing out the pins?"

Inspector Megure frowned. "No, nothing was odd… why do you ask, Kuroba-kun? Did you see something strange?"

Making sure no one was eavesdropping, he leaned in the inspector's ear. "They have tracking devices in the pins and possibly something to record us."

Inspector Megure's eyes widened, and he focused his gaze on the pin in Kaito's hand that he had not put on. "Hm, you're right. We'll look into it and let you know if we find anything. For now, you should be worrying about him." He tilted his head toward the back deck, where Shinichi was staring out with a distant expression.

Kaito bowed deeply. "Thank you." He placed the pin deep in his pocket and made his way to the deck. "Wow, the ocean sure is pretty…" He noticed Shinichi's expression change to that of slight sadness. "Hey, is everything okay?"

Looking down at the ocean, Shinichi closed his eyes and sighed. "I guess it depends on how you look at it. To most people, they think of the ocean as a place for memories. For some, it is a mirror of those things you wish you could forget."

"Shin-shin…" Kaito was at a loss for words; all he could do was wrap an arm around Shinichi and silently stare at the ocean while their thoughts wandered in different directions.

Finally, Shinichi broke the silence after a while. "We should get something to eat; it's already one o'clock." Kaito agreed, so the two made their way to the dining area to find some food.

Naturally, the dining area was just as luxurious as the entrance. The tables were carefully carved of cherry oak and had silver utensils, gold-lined plates, and an expensive vase on top. The chairs were made of cherry oak as well, but the seats were leather. The floor was a clean, solid-white tile that was completely flat. But the food was the most exquisite. It was a large buffet with just about any food you could think of from seafood to American food to Mongolian. There was even a person at the end of the buffet that would take your order if you couldn't find what you wanted.

Shinichi rolled his eyes with a small smile. _Wow, they outdid themselves._ He shook his head and grabbed a plate. "What are you getting, Kaito…?" He raised an eyebrow when he noticed the magician seemed a bit paler. "Oi, what's up?"

Kaito gave an easy grin. "I'm fine, just a bit hungry!" Shinichi chose to ignore it, and the two piled their plates with food and sat down at a fancy table. Kaito was pleased to see Shinichi in a better mood already but still stumped about what was said at the deck.

Then, when his gaze started to wander, he saw someone—no, three people—in the room that he knew. _Wha—what are they doing here?_ He thought for a moment before it struck him. _Ah, that must be why. So I should just be quiet and…_

"Oh, it's Kudou an' Kuroba!" The first someone came up to their table and sat in a spare seat. "I'm surprised to see ya here."

Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise. "H-Hattori and Kazuha? What are you doing here? We just left your place yesterday!"

Kazuha glared at her husband. "I was goin' to tell ya that we're comin', but Heiji insisted on keepin' it a surprise to see the look on yer face."

Shinichi sighed and rubbed his temples as a headache started to form. "Why am I not surprised?" he mumbled. "Hang on…" He looked up to Heiji. "How were you able to come? Did you get an invitation too?"

Heiji nodded. "Judgin' from what it said, only celebrities are comin'. With me bein' a famous detective an' Kazuha bein' the president o' her company, I guess it made sense that we'd come as well."

Kazuha's face turned red. "We're not _that_ famous…"

"Oh!" Heiji's eyes lit up as a thought came to him. "Where's yer parents at? I figured they were included in that invitation."

"They were," Shinichi replied while holding back a yawn, "but Kaa-san got another role in America, and she and Tou-san left a little while ago."

"Attention, passengers!" A voice suddenly interrupted from an intercom. "If you would like to join the tour around the ship, please come to the entrance in ten minutes."

Heiji turned to his fellow detective and saw how slumped over he looked. "Hey, ya wanna go to yer room an' rest instead? I can keep an eye on ya if ya want." Seeing Kaito's nod of approval, he picked up Shinichi in a piggyback without asking.

"Oi, what are you doing?!" Shinichi lightly bonked him on the head. "I can walk myself, you know; I'm not a kid!"

Heiji chuckled. "I know, but ya were one two years ago…" Hearing an irritated sigh from Shinichi, he kept on laughing and walked to his room. "This is yers, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Shinichi whispered softly as he buried his head in Heiji's warm back and closed his eyes. "Just help me to bed; I'm tired…"

Heiji unlocked the door and carefully placed Shinichi in the bed. "Make sure to sleep well, Kudou."

Shinichi grunted a response and sighed into his pillows as Heiji covered him. "Don't let me sleep too long…" he mumbled as he drifted off.

Just then, a gasp came from the doorway. "H-Hattori-kun, is that you?"

Heiji whirled around and smirked when he saw who it was. "Oh, heya, Ran-han, it's been a while! How ya been?"

"I've been okay, I guess…" She quietly started to walk in the room but stopped when she saw the turned over figure in the bed breathing evenly and deeply. "Is that…?"

Heiji barely contained his laughter. _Ooh, your little Neechan gets to see ya like this!_ "Yeah, it's Kudou. Kuroba and I managed to get 'im to come an' take a nap since he's been short on sleep lately…oh yeah! Kuroba Kaito is his new caretaker since he can't seem to take care o' himself."

Ran frowned. "Why has he been short on sleep?" she asked as she sat down beside Shinichi. "Is it… _that_?"

Heiji nodded. "He had a crash a little while ago, an' he got a confusin' case soon after that. With all o' the regular cases he gets on top of _that_ , I would say he's pretty stressed." He stood up as an interesting idea formed in his mind. "Hey, ya wouldn't mind watchin' 'im, would ya? It's gonna be Akemi's feedin' time pretty soon."

Ran's eyes widened. "A-are you sure he'll be okay?" she asked hesitantly.

Heiji patted her on the back, his expression serious. "I know how he thinks, Ran-han. To be honest, he's been havin' nightmares lately, an' my theory is that they'll go away when a certain someone can be there fer him." He smiled and left the room.

Ran was at a loss for words; she could only stare down at the slumbering detective in shock. _Shinichi…_


	15. Surprise 14: Forgive and Forget?

Surprise Fourteen: Forgive and Forget?

Shinichi felt comfortably at ease; so much that he slept for three hours until he heard the door softly open.

"He's still asleep? Don't ya think we should wake 'im?"

"No, he still looks exhausted." This second voice sounded familiar to Shinichi. "We should let him sleep as long as he needs to."

"He needs to eat though."

"Mm, that's true. Alright, we can wake him at dinnertime. Until then, we should let him sleep and recover." The first person quietly left, so Shinichi decided to find out who this second person was. He knew his head was throbbing and telling him not to focus too much, but his curiosity always pulled through.

"Shinichi…" the person whispered. "I hope—I hope you can forgive me."

Shinichi partially opened his heavy eyes and gasped. "R-Ran?" he whispered in surprise. "Is that really you?"

Ran paled. "Shinichi…" She looked away to hide her blushing. "I-it's good to see you again; it's been a while."

Shinichi smirked. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. A long period of silence came between the two of them before Ran stopped it.

"Shinichi, I'm sorry. I should have believed you and been there for you when you were sick and hurt, but…"

Ignoring his light-headedness, Shinichi sat up and hugged her. "It's okay; I probably wouldn't have believed it either. I guess—I guess it's good enough for me that you're here now." He closed his eyes as the fever started clouding his thoughts.

Ran's eyes widened. "S-Shinichi, you're burning up! Where's your medicine?" She quickly lied him back down and stood up in a panic.

Shinichi put an arm over his face and groaned. "It's in my bag over there; get me one of each." Ran found the bottles and handed him two pills.

"Um…will you be okay, Shinichi?" she asked shakily as she placed a cool cloth on his forehead and adjusted his covers.

Shinichi sank back into his pillows with a long sigh. "I should be fine after a quick nap. Please wake me in a couple hours…" he mumbled softly as he turned over and tried to sleep. But those bad thoughts were quickly returning to him, hindering his sleep. He kept putting away the thoughts in the back of his mind until they were finally gone. However, right as he was about to doze off, he felt someone lightly shake him.

"Hey, Shinichi," Ran whispered, "It's time to get up and eat some dinner."

Slowly sitting up, Shinichi moaned sleepily and rubbed at his eyes. "What time is it?" he yawned while running a hand through his hair.

Ran smiled. "It's already seven," she replied, "so I think we should meet up with the others and get some dinner. How do you feel?"

Shinichi stood up to stretch. "I feel a lot better," he lied. In actuality, his head was pounding, and he felt he would pass out at any second. But he knew everyone would worry, so he had no other choice but to lie until everything was dealt with.

Ran eyed him for a moment before nodding and leading the way to the dining area, where Kaito, the Hattoris, and Takagi were seated at a large circular table.

"Hey," Shinichi gave a small wave as he sat between Kaito and Heiji.

Both magician and Osakan detective ruffled his hair and teased him with grins on their faces. "Spendin' quality time with yer Neechan…" Heiji muttered.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Oh, _that's_ who she is! So she's Shin-shin's girlfriend then."

Shinichi, feeling himself start to blush, elbowed Kaito. "No, she's just my childhood friend."

"Um, do any of you know where Tou-san went?" Ran interrupted the three's quiet conversation. "I don't see him anywhere."

Kazuha smirked. "If you're lookin' fer yer dad, he went to yer room with a case o' beer."

Everyone backed away slightly as Ran's expression grew furious. "Tou-san…" She clenched her fists and marched away toward the bedrooms, making everyone laugh and slightly pity "Sleeping Kogorou."

 _He sure is in for it,_ Shinichi thought with a sigh as he remembered moments similar to this while he was Conan. Actually, life was much simpler for him when he had been shrunk; now, it was chaotic trying to explain the truth to everyone, solve tons of cases, and figure out school after missing two years.

"Ok, let's hurry and get in the buffet line!" Kaito interrupted Shinichi's thoughts. "We don't want to be left with scraps!" So they started making their way to the line, but Takagi placed a hand on Shinichi's shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Takagi-keiji?" Shinichi inquired, raising an eyebrow in slight confusion.

Takagi leaned in his ear. "Are you alright, Kudou-kun? Even after that nap you had, you still look pretty bad."

Shinichi smiled. "I'm okay," he reassured, "I just need some more time to fully recover." He left Takagi behind and joined the others in line, not noticing the officer's frown.

 _I can tell you're lying to me, Kudou-kun. What is really going on with you? How much are you still hiding from the world?_

X

After the main course was served to all the guests, a colorful array of desserts was set out on the buffet. About half of the total amount of guests quickly got in line, Kaito and Kazuha included.

"They say you have a second stomach for desserts!" Kaito laughed as he and Kazuha entered the line.

Shinichi smirked and let his mind wander for a bit. As he watched the people in line, one person caught his attention. _That person…I-I know them, but how?_ He looked downward as he focused harder on trying to remember, but a sudden and sharp pain interrupted everything, making him clutch his head. _Shoot…_

Takagi, who had been closely watching Shinichi, gasped in surprise. "Are you okay, Kudou-kun? Did something happen?"

Feeling very weak as the color drained from his face, Shinichi kept his head down. "I-I'm fine, Takagi-keiji; I just have a bit of a headache." A nauseous feeling entered him as he spoke, so he quickly fell silent and closed his eyes.

"Yay, lots of chocolate for me! " Kaito came back with a loaded plate and huge grin but frowned when he saw Shinichi bent over. "Oi, what's wrong?" He set down his plate before bending down and placing a hand on Shinichi's back.

Shinichi hesitated. "I-I just don't feel very well," he mumbled. "Could you help me back to the room? Maybe a bath can help."

Kaito smiled. "Sure; that should help you relax too!" He wrapped an arm around Shinichi and helped him stand. "Okay guys, I'm taking Shinichi back to the room to take a bath and unwind. Don't eat that big slice of cake on the plate!" He gave a small wave as he and Shinichi left the dining area for their large bathroom.

Shinichi plopped in a chair with a sigh. "Thanks, Kaito," he whispered as the magician turned on the bath water. "I really owe you one."

"Don't mention it." For some reason, Kaito was avoiding eye contact, which was unusual of him. "Hey Shinichi, when did you start feeling unwell? Was it right after eating?"

Shinichi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Um, yeah, but I know for a fact it wasn't the food that caused my feeling unwell. Why do you ask?"

"No reason…" It was completely out-of-character for Kaito, and Shinichi found it odd. But Kaito was back to his cheery self after a few minutes while turning off the water. "Okay, your bath is ready! I'm going back to the dining area to have some dessert and play card games, so I'll be gone for about an hour or two. Make sure to stay out of trouble while I'm gone!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I'm not a kid, you know…" He looked up and saw Kaito had disappeared. Feeling a smile tug at his lips, he closed the bathroom door and slowly stepped in the tub. "Ah…that does feel nice." He closed his eyes and let his muscles relax in the warm water. Once most of his body was completely relaxed, he noticed a strange tightness in his chest.

 _Wha…why does it hurt?_ He opened his eyes and instantly regretted it when the world convulsed. It suddenly became harder to breathe, and he broke out into a cold sweat. _No…_ His heart skipped a beat, and he slid lower into the tub. There were red spots before his eyes, but he still tried to keep conscious. _I can't pass out; Kaito will panic!_ However, the red spots were quickly replaced with a veil of black.

Kaito knew he was having a fun time, but he couldn't get rid of the sense of dread in the bottom of his stomach. He managed to ignore it for an hour-and-a-half until they were about to start their sixth round of cards.

"Um, I probably want to go back and check on Shinichi; it's getting pretty late." Kaito shyly bid farewell and rushed back to the room. Sure enough, Shinichi wasn't in bed, and the bathroom door was still shut. "Shin-shin?" He quietly knocked on the door. "Are you okay in there? Did you fall asleep in the tub?"

Shinichi could vaguely hear a voice calling his name, but his mind felt muddled and wouldn't function. He was able to open his eyes and set himself upright, but he couldn't find the right words to say.

Kaito huffed. "I'm coming in." He opened the door and gasped when he saw how pale and weak Shinichi looked. "Shin-shin, are you okay? What happened?" He quickly grabbed a towel and helped Shinichi stand.

Shinichi shakily put a hand to his head as his body trembled. "I-I don't remember very much…b-but I do remember p-passing out earlier for n-no reason."

Kaito didn't know whether to get sad or mad, so he put on a poker face and chose to do neither. "Well, let's get you dried off and in bed." He pretty much carried Shinichi to the side of the bed and helped him change into a pair of sweats. "There, that's better. Do you need your medicine or anything to help?"

Shinichi hunched over and closed his eyes, unable to stop the trembling. "I-I don't know…all I remember is seeing someone earlier at dinner and…"

Kaito cut him off with a gasp. "Shin-shin, I think it's the amnesia that's affecting you! That was the person that attacked you! Do you remember who it was?" He bent down beside Shinichi with a sparkle in his indigo eyes.

Shinichi clutched at his head as he tried to remember, but all he got was a more painful headache. "N-no, I can't remember who it was. Can you find a list of all the guests for me?"

Kaito nodded and ruffled his hair. "I'll go find that, and you try to sleep. If you do fall asleep by the time I get back, we can wait until tomorrow to do that since I can tell you're super drained right now." He quickly left the room, leaving Shinichi to his thoughts.

 _There's something strange going on with Kaito; I can feel it. I know he's hiding something as well…but is it something to help with the case? Or could it be something else entirely?_

X

It took Kaito over half an hour to find an employee with a list of the guests. Even so, she found it odd. "Why would you need this list?" she asked while handing it to Kaito.

The magician shrugged. "Well, my friend and I are curious to see who all came to this, so…" The employee understood, so Kaito returned to the room to find his _Tantei-kun_ already curled up in the bed, his breathing deep and even.

Kaito sighed. "That pretty much proves that he didn't sleep during that whole time this afternoon; he looks awful!" He looked down at the guest list, thought for a moment, and decided to read it on his own to see if he found anything.

 _Hm…Mouri Kogorou, Hattori Heiji, Megure Juzo, Takagi Wataru…that's odd. All of these people are either detectives or police officers involved in homicides. But the invitation said 'celebrities.' Why is this so?_ His eyes widened. _N-no way, that can't be right…_ He read the list again and again before stopping himself. _I am most likely right—this place is a murder trap, and all of the detectives and officers will be the victims as they try to solve it! That explains why they had the devices on the pins…_ After throwing his pin out the window and into the ocean, he searched around for a bit before finding Takagi and Sato's room.

"Who is it?" Sato opened the door and was a bit surprised when she saw Kaito. "K-Kuroba-kun, what are you doing here so late? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Kaito looked downward, his expression growing serious. "Sato-keiji, Takagi-keiji, I need to speak with both of you…in private."

Sato didn't know what else to do but let Kaito in the room. "What's wrong, Kuroba-kun? Does this have something to do with Kudou-kun's condition?"

Kaito shook his head. "Did Megure-keibu mention what I found out about these pins?" Seeing the nods of their heads, he pulled out the guest list. "Now look closely at this list. Do you see anything strange about it?"

Both officers read it over, their eyes narrowing as they thought. Finally, Sato spoke up. "It's all detectives and officers, right? What does that have to do with anything?"

Kaito handed them his invitation that he luckily kept. "See this? It mentions 'celebrities,' but very few of these are actually famous. Also, the officers on this list are all ones that deal with homicide cases."

Takagi gasped. "Could it be…was this whole thing a set up?"

Kaito nodded. "I believe that we were all invited as some kind of test by the creator 'Akai Kaoru,' which is probably an alias. He or she probably wanted to test the abilities of the world's best detectives by giving them a serial murder on a cruise ship with them as the victims."

Sato blanched. "Wait, Kuroba-kun. Are you saying this will be a moving locked room serial murder with hundreds of suspects possibly being Akai Kaoru?"

Kaito closed his eyes. "Basically…yes."


	16. Surprise 15: Falling Short?

Surprise Fifteen: Falling Short?

When Shinichi finally awoke at eight, he wasn't too surprised to find Kaito passed out and snoring beside him. _You were probably up late caring for me again, weren't you?_ A smile made its way on his lips as he gently moved hair out of the magician's sleeping face. _I can't believe you put yourself through so much for me even with how much trouble I get in…I owe you so much._ He stood up and stretched. _But first, I must get this case out of the way!_ He made his way to the desk and noticed the guest list lying open.

 _Hm…that means Kaito must have read it._ He read over it and was quickly confused. _All detectives and homicide police officers…that's odd. If I remember correctly, it was for celebrities, but why these people? Very few of them are famous; they all have—no way. That can't be!_ Blanching, he grabbed the list and rushed to Sato and Takagi's room.

"Who's there?" Takagi yawned as he opened the door. He gasped. "K-Kudou-kun, what are you doing here?"

Shinichi looked into Takagi's eyes. "Have you noticed anything odd about this cruise?" he asked, struggling to hide his fear.

Noticing the list, Takagi frowned. "Come in for a second, and I'll wake up Sato-san." He opened the door and gestured for Shinichi to enter.

Shinichi bowed. "Thanks, Takagi-keiji." He nervously sat down in the desk chair as Takagi went over and shook Sato.

"Sato-san, Kudou-kun wants to talk to us," Takagi whispered.

Sato slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Wha…?" She looked over and saw the nervous Shinichi. "Ah, Kudou-kun, is something wrong? You're not usually the one to get anxious over something."

Shinichi sighed deeply. "Well, this is something to be nervous about. Have you noticed that all of the guests are all detectives and police officers specializing in homicide?"

Takagi and Sato briefly exchanged glances. "That's strange," Takagi noted aloud, "because Kuroba-kun came to us last night about the same thing. He said how this ship was some kind of murder trap…" He cut himself off when he saw Shinichi tense.

 _That's why. That is why he has been acting strangely since we came onboard. There's probably some kind of device implanted in the pins we were given, which he noticed being Kaitou Kid, and I know he read the—oh, that also explains why he was asking about dinner last night. He was probably worried I was poisoned or something…_

"Ano, Kudou-kun, are you okay? You look a bit pale." Takagi crouched next to him. "Is it possible that you thought the same thing as Kuroba-kun about the trap?"

Shinichi silently nodded as bile started to rise up his throat.

Sato smiled sadly. "Kudou-kun, we can't be sure that this is a trap; you're probably just over-thinking it with all of the cases you run into. Just relax and enjoy this trip!" She stood up and lightly hugged Shinichi. "Kuroba-kun's probably the same. Coming from an officer, it's hardly likely for that to happen!" She huffed and ruffled his hair. "Don't think so much; you're still just a kid."

Shinichi looked downward. "I suppose…" he said slowly. "Thanks, Sato-keiji, Takagi-keiji. I'll go back to my room and see if Kaito's awake yet." He stood up and left, not noticing the officer's darkening expressions.

"Takagi-kun, that's not good," Sato whispered to her colleague. "If it's coming from both Kuroba-kun and Kudou-kun without them talking about it, one of them being a detective that has helped us numerous times, they're probably right."

Takagi's eyes widened. "But Sato-san, what are we supposed to do?"

Sato shook her head. "I don't know. I guess all we can do for now is wait and see what will happen."

X

Shinichi was surprised to see that Kaito was still deeply asleep when putting his detective book away at ten. _Man, how long was he awake last night? Was he up_ all _night?!_ He sighed and went over to shake him but hesitated when seeing his expression—it looked sad already, but there were tears as well.

Shinichi frowned. "Is he worried about the possibility of a trap and having a nightmare?" he wondered aloud as he sat down and shook Kaito. "Oi, get up!"

Kaito slowly opened his eyes, which were full of tears, and gasped before hastily wiping at them. "S-sorry, Shin-shin; I didn't think I would sleep in like this…what time is it?"

Shinichi huffed. "Ten o'clock," he replied. "But Kaito, am I imagining things, or were you crying earlier? Also, were you up _all night_?"

Kaito looked away from Shinichi and bit his lip. "W-well…" he shakily whispered as tears began to form again. "I was awake until five-thirty taking care of you since you still had a ridiculous fever and fell asleep when it was back down. I-I guess I had a nightmare that surprised me; that's all."

Shinichi rolled his eyes; he knew Kaito was lying. "Then why were you talking to Takagi-keiji and Sato-keiji last night?" he quietly asked as he wrapped Kaito in a small hug. "I spoke with them this morning, and they told me you were there last night about the same thing I was."

Completely forgetting his poker face, Kaito blanched. "N-no way…" he said in disbelief. "Then that means…"

Shinichi smiled and patted him on the back. "I spoke with them about it, and Sato-keiji said it was highly unlikely to happen; that we were just over-thinking since I tend to run into cases a lot. Plus, she could probably tell we're both a little short on sleep, so she thinks the nightmares aren't really helping matters."

Kaito clenched his fists as he allowed the tears to roll down his cheeks. "But what if it really happens, Shin-shin? What if it turns out to be a serial murder trap? What if you…?"

Shinichi cut off the magician with a tighter embrace. "If it turns out to be true, then I'll just try my hardest to get all of us out of it and the culprit behind bars. As for me getting hurt or worse, I won't let that happen; _no one I care about will be harmed by an evil person_."

Kaito noticed the darkening of Shinichi's voice at the end of the sentence. "Shin-shin…" Then, he began to cry. "I won't be able to help you, Shin-shin!" he sobbed. "I know how those guys do it; they isolate one person in the dead of night to hurt them or…" His voice broke off.

Shinichi gently stroked his hair. "Ssh…it will be okay, Kaito," he whispered soothingly. "I won't let him or her near any of us; especially you. To be honest, I've been nervous ever since we met about someone like that attacking _you_ , even after my injury. When I found out about it, I was scared that he got to you too since I didn't hear you moving around the house." He heaved a deep sigh. "We can try our best to stick together so there's less of a chance he'll get us. How about that?"

Kaito hiccupped and nodded. "That would be better," he said while wiping the tears away. "And when we take naps, we could bolt our door shut to make sure no one gets in since I doubt someone could climb through the windows here."

Shinichi smiled and released the hug. "Was this why you have been acting so strange, Kaito?" he changed the subject. "I noticed that ever since we came on, you've been tense about everything."

Kaito quietly agreed. "I noticed some odd things around the place, but they could just be for our safety to make sure no one goes overboard without someone noticing." His stomach rumbled, and he laughed. "We should go get something to eat." So they made their way to the dining area, where Heiji and Ran were chatting over cups of coffee.

"Morning!" Kaito said brightly. "How did you two sleep last night?"

"I slept well for the most part," Ran replied with a smirk, "but Tou-san's snoring can get rather annoying sometimes, especially when he's drunk. Didn't you say you were up most of the night, Hattori-kun?"

Heiji nodded. "Um, yeah, I was up most o' the night 'cuz o' Akemi. Apparently, she doesn't really like ridin' anythin' on water…" But he was lying. In actuality, he too was curious since he didn't see any celebrities in the dining area that evening and had researched on his own. He didn't tell anyone since he knew how they would react.

Kaito frowned. "Well, maybe you could rest in your room today since we're not stopping anywhere until tomorrow," he suggested.

Ran eyed Kaito. "Kaito-kun, are you okay? You look tired."

Kaito waved it off. "I'm fine; I can work on little sleep."

"But why didn't you sleep well?" Ran asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

Kaito smiled. "I was taking care of Shinichi last night since he got a fever and was a bit delirious. It took me a while, but I finally got the fever down."

Shinichi looked to Kaito in mild surprise. "You didn't tell me I was delirious!"

Kaito snickered. "That's a story I'll tell another time…" he vaguely responded with a wide grin on his face. "We should get something to eat though, and I know you need your coffee before you do anything." So he quickly ran off before Shinichi could interrupt.

Ran placed a hand on Shinichi's forehead, making him blush a little. "What are you doing, Ran?"

Ran sighed in relief after a moment and put down her hand. "I was making sure you still didn't have that fever since I know how you are when you're sick…" She paused for a moment. "Do you know if Kaito-kun was up all night? He looks really exhausted." She gestured to Kaito, who was happily moving down the buffet.

Shinichi smirked. "From what he said, he was up until five taking care of me before passing out." He rolled his eyes. "He is _such_ a mother hen; he worries about everyone but himself!"

"Just like someone else…" Heiji muttered with a chuckle. "I know yer the same way, Kudou. Remember that time ya were shot in the stomach an' didn't tell those kids?"

Shinichi closed his eyes as memories spun through his head. "Yeah…" Then, a strange person appeared in his mind. _Wha…who's that?_ He tried to remember, but all he got was a dizzy spell that made him break out in a sweat. _K-kuso…why can't I remember that person?_

"S-Shinichi, are you okay?" Ran placed a hand on his back. "You don't look well."

Shinichi gave quick, shaky breaths as he started to tremble. "I'm fine, Ran; I just have a bit of a headache…"

Heiji's eyes widened. "Kudou, could it be? Are you startin' to remember that person that attacked ya? Is he here on this ship?"

Ran blanched. "Attacked?!" she exclaimed before looking down at Shinichi with tear-filled eyes. "Shinichi, you were attacked?"

Shinichi's heart skipped a beat, and he clutched at his chest. "G-get me my emergency pill, Hattori…it's in Kaito's bag." Heiji quickly did so, but it took about a minute for the pill to kick in and stop Shinichi's fit.

Shinichi sighed in relief and wiped at his forehead. "Thanks," he whispered, "that helped a lot." He slowly looked up and saw Kaito returning with two plates of food and a Styrofoam cup of coffee.

"I'm back!" Kaito said cheerfully as he sat between Shinichi and Heiji, but his expression saddened when he saw how pale his _Tantei-kun_ looked. "Oi, are you okay?"

Shinichi, still shaking a little from the fit's suddenness, nodded. "I'm okay," he replied quietly. He didn't want to speak too loudly with the bile entering his throat.

Kaito pushed a plate of food and the cup over to him. "Here, this should help."

Shinichi thanked him and started eating, not noticing Kaito's staring as he closely examined him. _Hm…he looks really bad; almost like he got sick!_ "Hey Heiji-kun, what happened to Shinichi earlier?" he muttered in the Osakan detective's ear.

Heiji huffed. "That little _aho_ had some kinda fit or somethin' like that," he replied. "He suddenly clutched his head an' started to sweat an' had some trouble breathin'. I'm not exactly sure why he was like that, but it may be that he's startin' to remember that attack."

Kaito was about to interrogate Shinichi on the subject when a scream came from down the hall. Since they were the only ones in the dining area, Shinichi and Heiji both broke out in a run with Kaito and Ran close behind.

They finally stopped in front of an open bedroom, where a young woman was collapsed on the floor in front of it. "What's wrong?" Heiji asked, for his colleague was still gasping for breath. "Did something happen?"

She shakily pointed in the room. "I-in there…" Both detectives peered in, and their eyes widened in shock. Shinichi just about fainted as he fell to his knees.

"W-what's up?" Kaito looked and blanched. There was a body surrounded by a massive pool of blood; it looked like the whole body was drained of blood. He backed away and gagged. "Ugh, that smells awful!"

"Ran, go get your dad and Megure-keibu!" Shinichi was slowly standing up as the color returned to his face. He sounded stronger and…more confident. "Tell them that we need this blocked off right away to investigate."

Ran nodded and hurried away while Kaito was eyeing Shinichi. "Are you okay?" he asked slowly.

Shinichi didn't respond; he merely stood in front of the room with a hand at his chin and darting eyes as he searched around the scene. Heiji chuckled. "He'll be fine fer now; he's got all the adrenaline runnin' through 'im that'll keep 'im goin' fer a while. Once the initial stress has been dealt with, he'll probably feel fatigued an' will want to sleep. I know that's how he was right after takin' that antidote two years ago."

Kaito frowned. "How would you know?" he asked. "Were you there with him?"

As Heiji explained, Shinichi clutched at his chest as an odd sensation spread through him. _I know this feeling; I've felt it before…but where?_ He felt like he would pass out from the sudden pain, but he was able to remain standing as he surveyed the scene. _Hm, nothing out of the ordinary except the body and blood—wait, what's that?_ He moved over to the nightstand, where a plate of cake was sitting with a single bite taken.

Shinichi's eyes narrowed. _Ah, so that cake must have been poisoned._ He leaned over the body and smelled a faint trace of almond. There was also a small cut on his index finger, but that was the only wound. _Yes, it was indeed cyanide. But why this much blood?_ He searched the victim's possessions before finding a bloody pocket knife in his pocket beside a bottle of heart medication. _Okay, so it probably went like this: He was just poisoned with cyanide and thought he was having a heart attack, so he tried to get his pill but got cut on the knife before finding it…but I still don't get how he bled this much!_

"Oi, Kudou, ya got anythin' yet?" Heiji walked around the blood pool to crouch by Shinichi. "This sure looks weird to me; I've never seen this much blood!"

Shinichi silently shook his head as he checked the rigor mortis stages. "He seems to have died last night sometime between 7:00 and 10:00. But how did no one notice the smell coming from this room?"

Heiji frowned and turned to the woman who found the body. "Oi, you were the one that found 'im, right? How come ya didn't notice anythin' before?"

The woman looked really pale. "I-I don't know this man; I was just heading to my friend's room to see if she wanted to walk around the ship this afternoon when I saw it…"

Shinichi's eyes sparkled. "Hang on; you're saying this door was _open_?" He mentally cursed to himself, for he really wished his new book wasn't missing or else he could instantly solve it.

The woman nodded. "It was left wide open, so I had to see if something was wrong…"

Just then, the pain in Shinichi's chest grew worse. He keeled over as it became harder to breathe. The world was slowly fading away, but he could still hear two people calling his name as he slipped away into peaceful blackness.

X

"W-what's going on with him, Heiji-kun?"

"I can't be—oh no. Look!" He pointed at Shinichi's hand, which was slowly…shrinking. "Kuroba, I think he's turnin' back into Conan again!"

* * *

 _ **Note: There is indeed a large pun within the title of this chapter. I try my best with making them creative, and this is probably the best! ;)**_

 _ **Also, thanks so much for all the support so far! (And by the way, I can't just change what you are just now reading; I was writing this part a few months ago. I do that so I don't feel overwhelmed having to write a chapter a week.)**_


	17. Surprise 16: Will it Last Long?

_**Author's Note: So I chose to make an early update. That's because the part I'm writing is making me so excited that I really anticipate you readers' reactions to it (yeah, like I'd tell you what happens...). Again, I can't really change these earlier chapters, but I would love suggestions for the book's later future (for example when the "cruise ship arc" ends)! Thanks for all of the support; I am surprised that even one person is reading this...  
**_

 _ **Also, in case you didn't know, I am fifteen years old, so my grammar and...er, wording isn't perfect (see what I did there?). If you feel something isn't worded right, let me know, and I can see about fixing it (thanks, Meitantei Clark!). And since I know a lot of people may ask how in the world the "Conan" reappearance occurred, I will try to explain. What I believe happened is his overworking while trying to recover his memories caused a chemical to spread through his body, canceling out the antidote and allowing the poison to fill his blood and make him turn back...if that makes any sense. I tried. XD  
**_

* * *

Surprise Sixteen: Will it Last Long?

Everything in his body was on fire. There was also a strange feeling within him; he knew it from somewhere but couldn't place it. He tried to say something, but only a grunt of pain came out. He could slightly hear voices, but his mind wouldn't focus. Eventually, the pain left enough so he could partially open his eyes. He could see his trembling body surrounded by a massive bed. _Wha…why is this bed so big? Was I moved somewhere else?_ He also saw two blurry figures talking at the foot of the bed.

"What the heck do we do, Kuroba?! It happened after all, and he's not lookin' so good…"

"I'm not sure, Heiji-kun. I have no clue why this happened, but I can call his scientist friend and see what she thinks. Knowing her, she'll try and come here to see for herself, so we may have to take pictures as proof." Kaito pulled his phone out of his pocket and quietly stepped out of the room.

Heiji sighed and looked at the bed, noticing his fellow detective was awake. "Ah, Kudou, yer finally awake! How do ya feel?"

He groaned and put a hand to his head as he slowly sat up. He gasped when he saw how much taller Heiji seemed than normal and just about fainted when realization hit. "N-no way…I turned back to Conan?!"

Heiji smiled sadly and sat beside him at the edge of the bed. "Yeah, ya did. I was pretty surprised when I noticed yer hand startin' to shrink an' then it hit me. Do ya know why this happened, Kudou?"

Conan shook his head. "I have no idea. All I remember is feeling a weird pain in my chest while looking over that case, but I ignored it since I couldn't remember where it's from." He ran a hand through his hair. "Where's Kaito?"

Heiji frowned. "Well, Kuroba's talkin' to Haibara to try an' get an explanation fer this. I thought that antidote was permanent though…"

Conan nodded. "I took it two years ago, and there's been nothing like this ever since. My guess is that something was able to trigger my shrinking somehow, but I wouldn't know for sure."

Just then, Kaito returned in the room, looking down at his feet. "She said she'll look into it since she was pretty surprised herself…" He looked up and paled when he saw Conan awake. "S-Shin-shin, you're awake. Are you okay?"

Conan wiped sweat off his forehead and moved over to sit by Heiji. "I'm fine, just a bit surprised. Um, what time is it? If it's late enough, I want to get something to eat."

Kaito checked his phone. "It's already noon, so…" He suddenly stopped himself with wide eyes. "Shin-shin, y-you can't leave or else they'll notice! Because isn't Gin still around? He'll notice if you're here and Kudou Shinichi isn't from that guest list."

Conan blanched. "You're right," he whispered. "But what am I supposed to do? Just sit around my room until my body decides to turn back?" He slowly looked into Kaito's darkening indigo eyes.

"Well, we don't really have much of a choice, do we?" Kaito huffed. "This just sucks! I mean, we came here to relax and have fun, but everything just went wrong with that case and this…"

Conan could sense the unspoken words of _it's my fault_. "Kaito, this was mere coincidence that all of this happened; no one is to blame." Giving the magician a light hug, he jumped to his feet and rummaged through his bag. He knew his mind wasn't its best, but he still wanted to focus any thought on the case and his situation.

"What are ya lookin' fer, Kudou?" Heiji crouched beside Conan and ruffled his hair. "Did ya really bring them gadgets o' yers?"

Conan rolled his eyes. "No, I only brought a few of those. I'm looking for…" He smiled and pulled out a small notebook with a Holmes-inspired design on the front. "Okay, I'm going to the desk to think. If you could, try not to disturb me unless it's an emergency." With that, he sat down and immersed himself in his not-childlike thoughts.

Kaito smirked. "He's always like this, isn't he? Willing to put in everything towards catching a culprit even if he doesn't have much to give."

Heiji nodded. "Yup, that's Kudou fer ya!" They sat on the bed and watched the shrunken detective as he worked.

About ten minutes later, Conan suddenly pulled out his phone in a panic. "Ayumi, is that you? I need your help _now_."

Ayumi gasped and dropped her glass of juice. "C-Conan-kun, is that you? Wait…Shinichi-kun, did you turn back?!"

Conan heaved a deep sigh. "Yes, Ayumi, I did. I'm okay, but I need your help with something involving a case."

Ayumi wanted to cry, but she didn't want Conan to know about it. Instead, she stayed strong and stopped herself. "W-what do you need, Conan-kun?" she asked a little shakily. "Do you need me to research something—hang on, where are you, anyway?"

Conan quietly explained his location and the body. "I need you to search my house for a certain book; there's a spare key in your wallet that I snuck in last time you came over."

There was such a long period of silence that Conan thought Ayumi hung up. "Ayumi, are you still there?"

Ayumi gasped. "Oh, um, yeah…but how will I get this book to you?"

Conan knew it was a good point, but he had a plan. "I luckily brought my _Shounen Tantei_ badge, and the spare tracking glasses are in the library at my house. As for getting here, I'll bet Haibara can get something to do that."

Ayumi quietly agreed. "What is the book called?" she inquired.

Conan whispered it to her, unable to suppress a long yawn.

Ayumi giggled. "Conan-kun, you should go to sleep," she softly told him. "After all, your body's still kinda weird after that happening."

Conan smiled. "Alright, I'll go to sleep, and you can go find that book…thanks, Ayumi." He hung up and immediately returned to his notes.

"Oi, you're supposed to be in bed, _Tantei-kun_!" Kaito snickered and approached Conan. "You told her that you would, but you're doing more thinking…" Clucking his tongue and shaking his head, he picked up a surprised Conan and placed him in bed. "Now _sleep_ ; I can tell you're tired."

Conan tried to protest, but his smaller body couldn't put up a fight and quickly fell into a deep sleep, snoring loudly with his limbs spread out.

Kaito laughed. "That's much better…" He gently placed the blankets over Conan before standing up. "Heiji-kun, could you tell Ran and the officers what happened while I go run a few errands? It would be best if they knew so they can help us out if something happens."

Heiji frowned. "I guess, but I know his Neechan's gonna worry 'bout 'im a lot. Plus, is it a good idea to just tell 'em it happened without explanation? They may try an' come 'ere fer proof or somethin'."

Kaito looked down at the slumbering Conan and sighed. "I don't really know what else to do, Heiji-kun. Plus, I know they may barge in here without warning and find this, so…"

"Ah, gotcha," Heiji nodded in agreement as he left the room, his mind returning to thoughts of the body they found earlier. _There's somethin' not right 'bout that guy…but what? Well, maybe I can find that guest list an' see what I come up with…_

X

When Kaito quietly entered the bedroom with a plate of food at seven, he couldn't help but smile when seeing Conan still fast asleep. _Man, you're as troublesome as ever. You said you weren't tired, but here you are still sleeping like a baby…_ Chuckling softly, he set the dinner on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed before shaking Conan. "Oi, Shin-shin, you need to get up and eat something."

Conan moaned sleepily and turned away from the magician. "Five more minutes…" he mumbled into his pillow as he returned to a doze.

Kaito grinned. "Hm, I've heard it's good, but I've never tried lemon pie before. I sure am glad they had some in the buffet today!"

Conan slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes with a yawn. "Fine, fine, I'll get up." He sounded like a grumpy child, which was quite an amusement to Kaito. He knew he'd have _lots_ of fun with this.

"Here you go, _Chiisana Tantei_!" Ruffling Conan's hair, he handed him the plate of food and a thermos of coffee. "I got this from one of the workers since I told him my friend was an addict."

Conan rolled his eyes. "Even if I look like a kid, you know I'm not one." He took the coffee and quickly drained half of it before setting it down on the bed. "I'll have the rest later…" He stopped himself when he noticed the foods on the plate. There was lemon pie, yakisoba, bean sprouts, and inari sushi. For some reason, he couldn't get his mind off of the last one.

 _Sushi…sushi…tsushi…tsusho…_ He froze in shock. _That's it!_ He rushed over to his notebook left on the desk and quickly jotted down the possibility.

Kaito huffed. "Really, you're still thinking about that case? You can at least eat something before you do that!"

Conan closed the notebook. "Ok, I just had to write down an idea I had anyway." He returned to the side of the bed and ate his meal. "Hey Kaito," he suddenly said after a period of silence as he put on a childish façade. "Do you think you could copy down that guest list in this notebook for me?" He held up his notebook with a smile.

Kaito frowned. "Did you figure something out about this?" he asked as he took the notebook. "Can you tell me?"

Conan's smile turned to a grin. "Not yet…" He wagged a finger at the magician. "I'll tell you once I have everything figured out!"

Kaito sighed. "Fine then, I'll go." He may have sounded a bit irritated, but he was actually relieved to see his _Tantei-kun_ so happy. He didn't know if it was just his old habit from when he actually had to be Conan or not, but he hoped that it would stay that way when he turned back to normal.

When he returned with the information ten minutes later, Conan was starting to nod off. "Shin-shin, you better not fall asleep just yet; it's too early!" Kaito ruffled his hair and set the notebook in front of him. "Here's that list you wanted. Is there anything else I can do for you, _Meitantei-kun_?"

Rubbing his eyes, Conan shook his head. "I'm good…sorry for making you do all this, Kaito. I can tell you're pretty tired too from taking care of me."

Kaito waved it off. "It's fine! I can operate on little sleep anyway…" But he accidentally let out a long yawn to counteract his statement.

Conan glared at him. "Kaito, go get some sleep," he ordered. "I can lock the door to make sure we're safe for the night." He got up and did so before forcing Kaito to lie down.

Kaito yawned again. "But Shin-shin, how will I know if you get any sleep?"

Conan pulled the blankets over Kaito with a smirk. "Don't worry; I'll go to bed later after I do some thinking on the case." Blushing slightly, he quickly returned to the desk and immersed himself in his thoughts.

Kaito sleepily smiled and curled up on his side, muttering something into the pillow before falling into a light doze.

Conan huffed as he stared at the magician's sleeping form. "Really…how do you expect to take care of me when you can't take care of yourself?" He chuckled to himself and returned to his notes concerning the case.

Once his body was telling him to go to bed, he was surprised to see how late it was. _Wow, all that thinking and I still don't have much more to this!_ His eyes narrowed as an idea struck him. As he began writing it down, he felt a sudden and sharp pain in his chest that made him start to tremble. _N-no…not yet!_ He had a sudden coughing fit and collapsed on the floor. His heart skipped a beat as the world slowly began to fade. _No…let me stay in this body…so I can pretend to be happy…for Kaito._


	18. Surprise 17: More or Less?

Surprise Seventeen: More or Less?

Kaito awoke the next morning feeling a lot better. Yawning and stretching, he sat up and quickly noticed his _Tantei-kun_ wasn't in bed—it was still cold. _Was he up all night after saying he'd go to bed?_ He nervously turned toward the desk, but it was empty. _Where is he?_ He quickly stood up and blanched when he saw Shinichi passed out on the floor.

"Shin-shin, are you okay?" He quickly rushed to him and felt his forehead. It was burning and pouring with sweat. "What in the world happened? Is this all from turning back?"

Shinichi moaned and blearily opened his eyes. "I feel awful…" he mumbled in a slur. "Everything hurts so much I can't move, and my head feels like it's stuffed with cotton. I have no idea how I turned back; maybe I somehow ingested a chemical that got the antidote working again."

Kaito let his worry show while carefully carrying Shinichi to bed and giving him medicine. "Here, you can rest up today since I doubt you want to do anything." He pulled the blankets over him and was about to leave the room when Shinichi stopped him.

"Wait!" he cried, eyes widened. "Come here for a second."

Kaito quirked an eyebrow in slight confusion but did so anyway. He bent down beside Shinichi, who whispered part of his theory about the case they encountered. Gulping, he shivered a little. "So what do you want me to do, Shin-shin?" he asked.

Shinichi closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "Can you…find out more to see if it's true?"

X

"Ah, Kuroba, how's Kudou doin'? Is he any better after turnin' back?" Heiji greeted Kaito, who had just left the bedroom.

Kaito avoided eye contact. "Hey, Heiji-kun…" He tried to sound cheery as always, but it just wasn't turning out quite right.

Heiji's expression grew alarmed—he knew Kaito rarely grew sad. "Oi, what's up, Kuroba? Somethin' happen to Kudou?"

Kaito looked at his feet and bit his lip. "Well, I guess you could say that… He was researching more on that case and made me go to bed pretty quickly after saying he'd go to bed in a bit, so I had agreed. However, I saw he wasn't in bed this morning; the bed was freezing cold. He was passed out on the floor by the desk…and turned back."

Heiji's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed before muttering a string of colorful complaints. "That's just great… What the heck do we do? Just wait fer 'im to get better?"

Kaito felt himself start to tremble. "I-I don't know," he replied a little shakily as tears started to form. "I'm so worried since he's almost always on bed-rest; he can't even solve any cases nor have a meal at the table anymore!"

Heiji noticed Kaito's inner struggle and patted him on the back. "He'll be fine soon, Kuroba. I just know it! But Kudou's really weak when it comes to immune stuff anyways; he used to get colds all the time. Plus, with that transformin' thing he had that came out o' nowhere, it probably didn't help anythin'."

Kaito gave a small smile as a few tears fell down his cheeks. "Thanks, Heiji-kun. I know you're right, but I can't help but feel worried all the time!"

Heiji chuckled. "That's good for ya to be so concerned about 'im, Kuroba. When he's busy with a case or somethin', he doesn't focus on himself unless he's on his death bed." He wrapped an arm around Kaito and led him to the dining area, which was very sparse of people. At a larger table sat Ran, Takagi, Sato, Kazuha, and little Akemi in a highchair.

"Good mornin', everyone! I have brought with me the magic I promised." He flashed a grin and sat beside his wife.

"Hey, Kaito-kun." Ran waved a bit and gestured to an open seat by her. "How is Shinichi doing? Hattori-kun said he…um, turned back."

Kaito nodded grimly and briefly explained what happened. "So I think it as best to let him have another day of rest, and we'll see how he is from there."

Ran's expression saddened. "Is he okay? I don't think it would be very fun for that to happen…"

"Truly awful," a different voice quietly spoke from behind them. "After all, every single part of your body is shrinking down to that of a young child."

Both Ran and Kaito whirled around to see a girl with light-brown hair. "Ai-chan!" Ran exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing here? More importantly, _how_ did you get here?"

Ai smirked. "I came here to deliver something to Kudou-kun that he requested and give him a check-up. As for how I got here…well, that's my secret."

Kaito tilted his head a bit. "Is that 'something' the book that he won't tell anyone about?"

Ai tensed a bit before laughing. "Yes, it is. I can see why he would keep such an important book a secret from everyone…" She adjusted her much-too-large backpack. "Well, if someone could lead me to Kudou-kun's room, I would be happily obliged."

Kaito stood up. "I can do that for you, Scientist-san!" He ushered her out of the room before dropping his voice. "He turned back sometime last night," he whispered to her. "I woke up this morning to see him passed out on the floor."

Ai huffed. "I presume there was a case on this ship already then, right?" She opened the door and stepped in the room without an invitation. Immediately approaching the sleeping detective, she began to pull out numerous charts and tools. "Get him a plate of food while I start this. Make sure there's little to no sweets."

Kaito bowed. "Of course." He quickly left the room, leaving Ai to her work.

A small smile made its way on the not-child's face as she began to examine Shinichi. She knew Kaito was probably the best one to care for him, but she worried a lot. She didn't want to admit it to anyone, but the professor could tell and gave her a new invention after being called by Ayumi about Shinichi's situation.

 _"Why do you want me to do this, Hakase?" she had asked with a frown._

 _Professor Agasa chuckled. "I know you worry about him, Ai-kun; I can see it when that Kaito kid calls about him. Besides, Ayumi-kun said that he had turned back to a child, and I know you want to check that out."_

 _Ai looked downward, her lips quirking to a smile. "I suppose you're right…"_

The beeping of her thermometer sent her out of her thoughts. She quickly pulled it up and saw the small digital numbers. 101.8. So that meant there was still a fever, but not serious enough to need immediate medical help. She pulled out a light-blue pill and popped it in Shinichi's slightly agape mouth.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted everything. "I have the food." Kaito returned to the room with worry obvious in his eyes. "Is he okay?"

Ai took the plate and set it on the nightstand. "He should be fine in a day or two. With the new pill I created, it may be shorter." She paused to look closely at the magician. "Kuroba-kun, you should go sit on the sofa and relax for a while so I can do my work."

Kaito gave a tired smile and flopped on the couch after muttering a thanks. Lying down, he placed an arm over his eyes and fell silent as sleep quickly overtook him.

Ai smirked. "As I thought…you've been working yourself quite hard taking care of him. I sure am glad I chose you, _Kaitou Kid-san_." She laughed softly and went to wake her patient.

Shinichi groaned and partially opened his bloodshot eyes. "What's up…?" His vision focused, and he gasped. "H-Haibara, what are you doing here?!"

Ai rolled her eyes. "I came to see how you were and to give you this." She revealed an old book from inside her bag. "Ayumi-chan called me and told me what happened, so I decided to do all of it for her." She frowned when she noticed Shinichi wasn't moving. "Can you sit up so you can eat your food?"

Shinichi grimaced. "N-no, I can't move at all; the pain is unbearable…"

Ai sighed heavily. "I guess it can't be helped, can it?" Using a large amount of pillows, she was able to get Shinichi sitting up. "Okay, now you can eat. While you're doing that, I'm going to check on Kuroba-kun." She lightly gestured to the couch, where Kaito was dozing. "He may be getting sick as well from doing so much for you lately."

Shinichi closed his eyes. "Yeah, he's been doing a lot for me. I try to tell him no, but he still takes care of me anyway until he passes out." He smiled warmly. "But he is a lot of fun to be around." He shakily picked up the chopsticks and began to eat before Ai could interject.

Ai merely shook her head as she made her way to Kaito and checked his temperature. He wasn't running a fever, but he had dark circles under his eyes. She chose to sneak a sleeping pill in his mouth before leaving him to rest.

"How is he?" Shinichi asked weakly. He had finished a majority of his meal and was rubbing at his eyes. "Is he sick after all?"

"No," Ai replied as she helped Shinichi lie back down, "he's just short on sleep. As for you, you still have a fever, so you need to go back to sleep. I already gave you a new pill, in case you were wondering."

Shinichi yawned and closed his eyes. "Can you stay here?" he mumbled softly. "To keep me safe…" His voice trailed off as he fell fast asleep, quiet snores already coming from his mouth.

Ai quietly sat down in the chair at the bedside. "Of course, Kudou-kun…you protected me while _they_ were still around, so now I will protect you."

X

Morning quickly became afternoon, and both detective and magician slept soundly. Even Ai had finally dozed off while watching them. Ran and Heiji observed this scene with smiles on their faces.

"Hattori-kun, isn't this tranquil?" Ran whispered. "Seeing them all asleep like this, I mean. I know that Shinichi was the one to not fall asleep in front of people because he was embarrassed about it."

Heiji chuckled quietly. "I think he's still like that, but he can't really help it with all o' the deprivation he's had." He checked his watch and gasped. "Oi, isn't the ship gonna stop sometime today?"

Ran's eyes widened. "You're right; it does stop at Yokohama Port this afternoon. Should we wake them and see if they want to go?"

Heiji put a hand to his chin. "Well, we can ask 'em real quick." He went to wake Ai and Kaito while Ran approached Shinichi.

Ran started to place a hand on Shinichi but hesitated when seeing how deeply asleep he was. _Should I really be waking him for this? He looks so peaceful too…_ She shook her head and lightly shook him. "Shinichi, do you want to come with us? The ship stops at Yokohama today." She softly whispered to him.

Shinichi kept on snoring, so she shook him a little harder and repeated the question. This got him to sit up, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "What's up, Ran?" he mumbled, still half-asleep.

Ran tried to stop her giggles. "Do you want to see Yokohama today since the ship's stopping there?" she asked as she sat beside the dazed detective. "I think it'd do some good for you to walk around instead of lying in bed or chasing murderers."

Shinichi couldn't hide his smirk. "Yeah, you have a point there. As long as Kaito and Haibara don't mind, then I'll go."

Ai surprisingly agreed immediately, but Kaito wouldn't even wake up. "Wow, that guy's tired!" Heiji laughed as he stood up by the couch where Kaito slept. "He won't budge a bit!"

Shinichi sighed. "That's probably because he's been pretty short on sleep too, and he is now feeling at peace after a while. We can let him rest here; I'll leave a note or something so he'll know where we're at."

The others agreed and chose to wait outside so Shinichi could get ready. After changing his clothes and brushing his teeth, Shinichi knelt beside Kaito. "Why are you faking?" he inquired quietly.

Kaito rolled over to face Shinichi, tears streaming down his face. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you noticed…" He sat up and wiped away the tears. "Are we going somewhere?" he changed the subject.

Shinichi smiled. "I'm going with the others to see Yokohama; _you_ are staying here and resting." Kaito began to vehemently protest, so Shinichi pushed him back on the couch. "Kaito, the roles have reversed. I'm feeling great, but you're having nightmares and staying up super late. Just trust me when I do this."

Kaito closed his eyes. "Make sure to be careful…" His voice trailed off as he fell into a light slumber.

Shinichi ruffled his hair. "Sleep well, phantom thief." He quietly left the room and locked the door with the spare key.

Heiji snickered and wrapped an arm around his fellow detective. "Alright, ya ready to go now, Kudou?"

Shinichi smirked. "Yeah, I'm ready." So they made their way to the main entrance, where there was already quite a crowd.

"Attention, all passengers!" a voice on the intercom interrupted. "The ship is preparing to dock in Yokohama, so please stay away from all exits until instructed otherwise." The ship began to slow down and finally stopped a few minutes later.

The door at the entrance opened, and a young woman was already in the doorway. "Welcome to Yokohama!" she cheerily spoke to everyone. "My name is Yuna, and I will be your guide on this quick tour. If you already have other plans in Yokohama, please write your name on this board and make sure to be back by eight o'clock tonight."

Shinichi turned to the others. "You guys have plans already, don't you?"

Ran giggled. "Of course we do! There's a place I think Ai-chan will like, and I think Hattori-kun found something to take you to…"

Heiji gave his characteristic grin. "Yup! C'mon with me, Kudou! We're gonna go somewhere you'll _love_!" He dragged Shinichi down many streets before stopping in front of a building Shinichi immediately recognized.

"T-the Yokohama stadium…" His eyes widened. _That's right; the Noir Tokyo is playing their first game with Ryusuke Higo back. But I thought Hattori didn't like soccer…_ "But Hattori, why a soccer game?" he inquired.

Heiji lightly bonked him on the head. "'Cuz I know ya like it, Kudou! I wanted to take ya somewhere where ya could have some fun and thought it was perfect!"

Shinichi gave a shy smile. "Gee, thanks, Hattori…" They entered the stadium and enjoyed themselves while watching the game. Meanwhile, Ran and Ai went to a Hatsune Miku concert at the Yokohama Arena, and Kazuha and Akemi went to a designer store for a dress for the two of them. Takagi and Sato had a small date at an ice cream parlor until Megure caught them (but he only laughed and winked before leaving them).

As for the one that stayed behind, he was not able to sleep like everyone wanted. He was worried that something would happen to Shinichi, so he had tried to leave but found the door locked from the outside somehow. Cursing silently, he lied back down and found himself starting to cry. He bit his tongue hard enough to start bleeding and stop crying before closing his eyes. _Everyone…please protect Shin-shin for me._

After the concert and soccer game were finished, everyone met up at a fancy restaurant to have dinner. Everyone's spirits seemed considerably lifted, but there was a whisper from a few people as they were heading back to the ship.

"Hey, did you hear? Someone on the ship died."

"I know; that was yesterday, right?"

"No, I heard there was another one; some guy killed in his room…"

Shinichi blanched as an image formed in his mind. He looked to the others, but they didn't appear to have heard anything. "Um, I think I'll go ahead of you guys; I need to see how Kaito's doing."

Since it was dark enough, no one noticed how pale Shinichi was. "Okay," the others agreed. Shinichi thanked them and ran off as fast as he could to the room, where the door was somehow unlocked. He busted open the door, where Kaito was lying in bed, seemingly asleep. But when Shinichi looked closer, there was blood coming from his mouth. Thinking the worst happened to the magician, his eyes rolled back in his head as he fainted.


	19. Surprise 18: Hints from a Fool?

Surprise Eighteen: Hints from a Fool?

Kaito's light doze was interrupted with a loud thump. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, he yawned and searched for the source of the noise. He gasped when he saw Shinichi passed out on the floor by the door. "Shin-shin!" He rushed over and shook him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Shinichi groaned and put a hand to his head before his eyes widened. "Kaito, you're okay!" He quickly wrapped him in a tight embrace. "I thought you were a goner when I saw the blood…stupid rumors."

Kaito quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Shin-shin? What rumor…?" He stopped himself as he realized what Shinichi meant by 'blood.' "Oh, you must have seen this." He wiped at his mouth and saw red on his hand. "I had bit my tongue since I was a bit frustrated…" He paused. "Hang on, was that rumor something involving another victim?"

Shinichi nodded. "I heard a couple people mentioning someone being killed in their room on the ship, so I had panicked…"

Kaito silenced him by placing a finger over his lips. "Calm down, _Tantei-kun_! I don't think you need to worry yourself in this anyway; this place is full of cops and detectives!"

Shinichi closed his eyes. "That may be so, but Hattori and I are probably the best at this. However, any great detective can sometimes get reckless and come up with the wrong conclusion." An unexpected image flashed in his mind, and he winced.

Kaito's expression grew slightly alarmed. "Shin-shin…" He wanted to ask what had happened but at the same time didn't want to bring up anything that would make him feel bad. Instead, he hugged him and fell silent.

After a long period of silence, Shinichi broke it. "Kaito, did you sleep okay, or do you still need a nap?" he inquired.

Kaito wanted to lie but changed his mind. "Actually…" he yawned. "I didn't sleep too much. I'm not really hungry, so I'll probably just go to bed." He stood up and made his way to bed before noticing Shinichi wasn't getting up. "Are you coming?"

Shinichi, whose thoughts were starting to return to that of the case, blushed. "Oh, um, yeah." He climbed into bed next to Kaito and faced him. "Will you be okay?" he whispered, showing his concern. "You've hardly been sleeping for a while; I can tell."

Kaito smiled sleepily. "I'll be fine," he mumbled as his eyes slid shut. "As long as you're here, I'll feel comfortable…" Then, quiet snores began to come from his mouth as sleep enveloped him.

Shinichi gently wrapped an arm around the magician with a chuckle. "Pleasant dreams, Kid-san." He lightly kissed his forehead before standing back up and making his way to the desk to work more on the case. Once he started nodding off, he saw it was already midnight. Letting out a long yawn, he turned off the lamp and made his way to bed, quickly passing out.

 _Kaito was dozing in the living room, and Shinichi was alone reading in the library. Just then, a scream woke the magician. "Wha…?" Kaito quickly made his way to the library, where Shinichi was lying on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood._

 _"Kaito…" Shinichi slurred softly, barely alive. "The killer…it was…"_

Kaito jolted awake and gasped for breath. Letting his eyes slowly adjust, he saw it was one-thirty in the morning. _Kuso, I don't think I can get back to sleep either..._ He looked beside him and felt a sense of relief wash over him. Shinichi was curled up beside him and deeply asleep with a childlike look on his face.

Kaito leaned back against the headboard with a sigh. _I am envious; he can just sleep like this…but I guess he was in my position not too long ago._ He gently moved hair out of the detective's sleeping face with a smirk.

"Kaito…" Shinichi stirred slightly and moved closer. "I love you, Kaito…" He quietly mumbled before the words were replaced with snores.

Surprised, Kaito struggled to keep a poker face. "I-I love you too…" His heart felt about to burst from excitement and joy, but he managed to calm it by reminding himself that Shinichi was most likely delirious. Just to be sure, he even felt Shinichi's forehead, which was indeed burning. Unable to stop his slight disappointment, he fed Shinichi the new pill before lying back down. However, he could not get back to sleep.

Before Kaito knew it, it was already eight o'clock, and Shinichi was just waking up. He moaned and stretched before seeing Kaito curled up and facing away from him. He studied his breathing for a moment. "Kaito, why are you awake?" he asked.

Kaito huffed and sat up, revealing the dark circles under his eyes. "I had a nightmare sometime last night and couldn't get back to sleep…then with you acting delirious again, I had to make sure you were taken care of. I've been trying to go back to sleep ever since, but I just can't." Kaito rubbed at his heavy eyes and let out a long yawn.

Shinichi lightly draped an arm over his shoulder. "Just relax, Kaito; I'll stay here next to you if you want." He paused for a moment. "And don't worry about waking up in a couple hours either. Just sleep as long as you need to make you feel better."

Kaito looked to Shinichi, his eyes slightly widened. "A-are you sure?"

Shinichi grinned. "Of course!" Gently lying him down and adjusting the covers, his smile softened. "Just get some sleep; I'm not leaving."

Kaito's eyes slid shut. "Thank you…Shin-shin." A deep sleep finally overtook the magician, relieving him of any fear or doubt.

Shinichi watched Kaito sleep until there was a knock at the door a few hours later. "Who is it?" he asked, still keeping the door locked.

"It's Ran. Can I come in?" Shinichi unlocked the door and let her enter the room. She nervously sat herself on the sofa. "Um, how is he?" she asked, gesturing to Kaito, who was beginning to toss and turn.

Shinichi heaved a deep sigh as he sat back down and began rubbing Kaito's back. "He's a lot worse than he lets on," he whispered, his eyes sparkling. "That much is for sure. I think he's been having nightmares, but he never tells me anything except that he couldn't sleep. So I told him this morning that he can sleep as long as he likes, and he was out in seconds."

Ran looked downward and closed her eyes. "I know why he's acting like that…" she quietly replied.

Shinichi's expression showed mild surprise. "Really? Why then?" he inquired.

Ran kept her gaze at her feet as she spoke. "He's scared," she told him. "He's scared to tell you about his nightmares because you may have them again. Also, with him being your caretaker and protector, he feels that he shouldn't be the one being taken care of."

Shinichi huffed as he watched Kaito's chest rise and fall. "That makes sense…" A yawn escaped his mouth before he could stop it, making heat rise to his face.

Ran giggled. "You were up late last night, weren't you?" She shook her head and helped Shinichi lie down. "You should get some sleep too!"

Shinichi yawned again. "Close the door on the way out…" he mumbled into his pillow.

Ran ruffled his hair. "Sleep well, Shinichi…" She kissed him on the cheek before starting to leave but stopped. "Oh, I forgot!" She turned back to Shinichi, but he was in a light doze. She made her way to the desk and wrote down a quick note.

 _Shinichi-_

 _There was another case, and I think you should come see. My dad is in charge of it, and he's not doing very well. Meet me when you can, and I can take you to the body._

 _-Ran_

X

Shinichi could hear someone moving about the bedroom. His mind wasn't willing to put in enough effort, so he figured it was Kaito and turned over to sleep. However, the person started to shake him.

"Kudou…oi, Kudou, get up!" Anyone would've known that it was Heiji.

Shinichi moaned sleepily and moved away from the Osakan detective. "What do you want, Hattori?" he asked, his voice slightly cracked.

Heiji laughed. "I thought yer first question would be 'how the heck did ya get in my room?' But I guess yer still not awake yet." He moved over by the wall and opened the curtains, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. "C'mon, Kudou, don't ya wanna go see it?"

Shinichi, who had been slowly sitting up and waking up, snapped into awareness. "Wait, see what?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow.

Heiji frowned and turned to the desk, where he saw the note. "Ah, I guess yer Neechan didn't tell ya yet. Read this, an' you'll get it." He handed the note to Shinichi and sat on the edge of the bed.

After reading, Shinichi felt the color drain from his face. "So there really was another one…?" He silently cursed. "I want to go solve it, but what about Kaito? I know he'd panic if he found out."

Heiji grinned and ruffled his hair. "Just leave that to me! Ya can go see what ya find about that case since I did this mornin', an' I'll stay here with 'im. If he wakes up an' asks where ya went, I can just say ya wanted to go eat somethin'!"

Shinichi sighed deeply. "Thanks, Hattori." He carefully stood up and winced as a wave of dizziness overcame him. "Um, where is Ran anyway?"

Heiji thought for a moment. "I believe she said it was 'a place full o' memories.'"

Shinichi smirked. "I know where that is…" He started to leave, but Heiji grabbed his wrist. "What is it?"

Heiji closed his eyes. "Just…be careful, Kudou. If yer sayin' that guy that attacked ya is here, he could go after ya again."

Shinichi's smirk grew. "I'll be fine, Hattori!" He waved a bit and rushed out of the room and to the meeting place. There on the back deck of the ship was Ran, silently staring into the ocean.

"Bittersweet, isn't it?" Shinichi quietly moved over beside her.

Ran jumped a bit. "Oh, you're here! Sorry, I was thinking about something." She paused to closely eye Shinichi. "Hattori-kun went and woke you, didn't he?"

Shinichi chuckled. "Yes, but I don't really mind; after all, this could potentially a serial murder we're looking at here. Besides, Kaito's been having some trouble sleeping and needs someone with him in case he has a nightmare."

Ran's expression saddened. "I feel bad for him…" she thought aloud.

Shinichi placed a hand on her shoulder. "I do too," he slowly agreed, "but I know that he can build himself back up with the right support. Come on; let's go see the body."

Ran shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. "Honestly, you're probably the only one besides maybe Hattori-kun to get a thrill out of this!"

For some reason, Shinichi stopped in his tracks, his face chalk-white. Ran asked multiple times if he was okay, but he eventually started walking again, remaining silent with his gaze at his feet.

 _What happened when I was gone?_ She wondered to herself as they approached the taped-off scene. _Why is Shinichi acting this way?_ Letting out a small sigh, she ducked under the tape and approached her dad and the Tokyo police officers. "Okay, I brought him!"

Mouri Kogorou huffed. "Really, why do we need this brat playing around here, keibu-dono? Shouldn't he be messing around with those toy kits?"

Inspector Megure refrained from smacking the 'meitantei.' "Mouri-kun, we need him to help us. Ever since that Conan boy left, you haven't been solving any cases."

Kogorou stubbornly turned his head away. "Hmph! So what? I'm just in a little slump, that's all."

Megure kind of wanted to tell him the truth about Conan, but he—along with everyone else that was told—were given strict instruction to tell no one. Instead, he shook his head. "Well, either way, Kudou-kun is going to help us…" He turned to where Shinichi was, only to find him already immersed in the scene.

"Shinichi, have you found anything?" Ran whispered in his ear.

Shinichi placed a hand at his chin. "I believe this could have been the murder weapon, but I can't be sure since the blood is so hardened…" He pointed with his other hand at a metal bat covered in blood. "It could either be the real thing or a trick set up by the culprit."

Kogorou began to laugh. "I already know the trick, _gaki_. It is a very simple trick that will soon reveal the killer!"

Inspector Megure attempted to stop rolling his eyes. "Alright, Mouri-kun, what do you propose happened? Who is the culprit?"

Kogorou gave a cheesy grin. "Well, judging by what we have here, it is obvious that the culprit was an adult male…"

Ran saw Shinichi tense. As Kogorou told his lame deduction, Shinichi's face grew paler. Once he finished by giving out a random name for the culprit, Shinichi felt his legs would give out, so he leaned against the wall.

"Are you okay, Shinichi?" Ran whispered to him. "You look like you've realized something important."

Shinichi nodded, the color slowly returning to his face. "I have some idea about this trick the culprit came up with, but I'll have to check." Feeling more confident, he stood up straight. "Tell the others I'll be in my room." With that and a small wave, he quickly rushed back to his room, where Heiji was pacing around the bed.

"Ah, Kudou!" Heiji gave a smile and came up to him. "Did ya find anythin' useful fer the case yet?"

Shinichi quietly agreed and began to make his way to the desk. "I think I have an idea how the culprit is managing to stay hidden, but it will need thoroughly investigated…"

"Do ya need me to do anythin'?" Heiji asked, his expression concerned. "Ya know I'm always here to help ya."

Shinichi hesitated before shaking his head. "No, I can do this on my own; you have other things to worry about anyway."

Heiji frowned. "Alrighty then. If ya need anythin' later, don't hesitate to let me know!" Ruffling the older detective's hair, he left the room.

With a huff, Shinichi plopped in the chair and whirled it around to face the notes. "Finally, he left! Sometimes, he's too smart for his own good…" Pausing slightly to hear Kaito's snoring pattern, he completely immersed himself within the notes. He knew he heard the door open and close a couple times, but he didn't think the people were too concerned. However, it was different the third time.

"Honestly, yer still at it, Kudou?" Heiji began to approach Shinichi but stopped when Shinichi shakily stood up.

"I-I finally got it! That must be what the culprit's doing!" His voice was a faint, scratchy whisper, and he wasn't able to remain standing for more than a few seconds before collapsing into Heiji's arms. "Wha…what happened?"

Heiji chuckled. "I should be asking _you_ that, Kudou! Do ya realize how long ya have been like that?"

Shinichi's eyes widened in shock. "W-wait…how long has it been, Hattori?"

Heiji sighed and shook his head. "Two days," he replied quietly. "Yer Neechan and I have been checkin' on ya an' Kuroba every so often, but nothing changed."

Shinichi turned to Kaito, who was sound asleep in bed. "He's been sleeping this whole time?" He smirked. "I guess he took what I said literally."

Heiji gave a warm smile. "Well, now ya should be goin' to bed after a quick meal." After making him eat a small lunch and drinking a cup of water and mug of coffee, he practically carried Shinichi to bed and adjusted the blanket. "Is there anythin' ya need me to check while yer sleepin'?"

With a long yawn, Shinichi rubbed at his eyes. "I guess it'd be nice to…"

"To what?" Heiji turned from the desk to the bed and laughed, for Shinichi was already curled up and snoring softly. Bending down beside his friend, he lightly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sleep well, Kudou," he whispered.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. " _Ano_ , is Kudou-kun okay?" It was Takagi, accompanied by Sato. Both wore expressions of deep concern. "Is he still…?"

Heiji stood up so they could see the slumbering Shinichi. "He's finally out of that daze o' his," he said, relieved. "I think he was pretty surprised that he was like that fer two whole days, but he was really tired too, so we should let 'im sleep fer today."

"What about Kuroba-kun?" Sato inquired. "He's been sleeping for three days now."

Heiji shrugged. "I think we should let him sleep as long as he needs since he was short on sleep fer quite a while from stress an' anxiety. Hopefully, these two can wake up soon an' take a breather fer a while!"


	20. Surprise 19: Memorable Dreams?

_**Author's Note: So this chapter is a long dream describing why Shinichi had freaked out in the last chapter when Ran mentioned how only he and Heiji got excited about seeing bodies. Simply put, this is the one case (that I made up, of course) that Shinichi was not able to solve in time...Enjoy!**_

* * *

Surprise Nineteen: Memorable Dreams?

 _He was slowly waking up. He could feel a small hand on his back and heard a quiet voice telling him to wake. He forced his heavy eyes open and saw Ai._

 _"What do you want, Haibara?" he mumbled. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep? It's like…" He looked at the digital numbers on the alarm clock. "Two in the morning!"_

 _For some reason, Ai had a smile on her face—not one she forced around the professor and Shounen Tantei, but a genuine smile. "Well, Kudou-kun, don't you want your body back?" she whispered as she held out a small case. Inside was a green and blue pill._

 _Conan gaped at her. "Y-you finished it?" he asked in shock before stopping. "Hang on…there's only one in here! Why don't you make another one for yourself?"_

 _Ai's smile turned to a grin. "I have my reasons…here, take this." She thrust the pill into the currently-shrunken detective's hands. "You should probably call some people first though or else they'll freak when seeing you back to normal."_

 _Conan silently nodded, still shocked, and Ai quietly closed the bedroom door as she left. After leaving a voicemail for his parents, he dialed Heiji's number._

 _Surprisingly, he picked up. "Whaddya want, Kudou?" he grumbled, still half-asleep. "Don't ya realize how early it is?!"_

 _Conan gave a childish laugh. "But Heiji-niichan, I just got the antidote to change my body back!"_

 _Heiji dropped his phone. After picking it back up, he quietly asked, "Seriously, Kudou? Ya really got one?"_

 _Dropping the childlike act, Conan agreed. "Haibara warned me to tell you guys about it before I went with it, but…" He hesitated for a moment. "Actually, I was wondering if you could come to the Hakase's place in case I get sick or something."_

 _Heiji chuckled. "You bet! I'll get on the next flight to Tokyo an' see ya in the mornin'!" He quickly hung up, leaving Conan relieved._

 _"Alright, now it's time to get my body back!" He popped the pill in his mouth and experienced tremendous pain almost immediately after—but it was far worse than when he first ingested the poison two years previously. He knew he was wanted to fall unconscious, but he still managed to hold on._

 _When Heiji showed up, he was rushed to a bedroom door by the professor._

 _"How is he?" he asked nervously._

 _Professor Agasa shook his head. "I'm not sure, Heiji-kun," he replied shakily. "I tried to go in, but Ai-kun won't let me." He quietly knocked on the door. "Ai-kun, it's us."_

 _A quiet voice answered them. "Let Hattori-kun in and go back to making that breakfast."_

 _Professor Agasa did so, concealing his frustrated expression. Heiji slowly stepped in the room to see the scene before him. His friend was lying on the bed in a pool of sweat and taking quick, shallow breaths. His eyes were bloodshot, and it looked like he would pass out at any second. "I-is he okay?" he whispered in the scientist's ear._

 _Ai was about to reply when Conan gasped in pain and clutched at his chest. He mouthed something with a smirk before finally falling into a deep sleep. Ai huffed. "Well, he_ finally _chose to sleep…"_

 _Heiji frowned. "Whaddya mean? Are ya sayin' he's been in pain and stayin' awake this whole time?!"_

 _Ai glared at Heiji. "What do you expect? He wants to look stronger than he actually is." Loosening the blankets, she placed a large cloth on the not-child's forehead. "Can you stay here with him for a while? I need to get some sleep." With a quiet yawn, she left the room._

 _Heiji looked down at his pained friend with sadness. "Kudou…please turn back soon; I hate seein' ya like this!"_

 _It took a day for him to fully turn back and another two to regain consciousness. However, he was quite delirious and couldn't hold a conversation or answer a question. After a week, he insisted that he was better._

 _"I'm fine, Hattori!" he said with a few coughs. "I just have a little cold; that's all!"_

 _Heiji eyed Shinichi with concern. "Kudou, yer not fine! I know ya wanna go chasin' after dead bodies, but yer body an' mind can't handle it just yet." Giving Shinichi a hug and warm smile, he stood up. "If ya need anythin', don't hesitate to let me know; I'll be takin' a quick nap in my room." He then foolishly left Shinichi alone._

 _Shinichi grinned. "Honestly, he should know me by now!" Since his room was on the first floor, he climbed out the window and made his way to the First Division._

 _"Ohayō!" Sato started to greet Shinichi before gasping. "K-Kudou-kun, it's you…"_

 _Shinichi gave a weak greeting in return. "Where's Megure-keibu?" he asked. "Are there any new cases for me?"_

 _Sato shook her head. "Being gone for so long on a case and coming back for more…you work harder than most police officers, Kudou-kun!"_

 _Remembering one moment from his delirium, Shinichi's eyes darkened. "Actually, can you and Takagi-keiji come as well? I need to speak with all of you."_

 _Sato quirked an eyebrow. "Alright…" she said, a little uncertainly. "Megure-keibu is in his office; I'll go get Takagi-kun and be right back."_

 _Shinichi quietly thanked her and slowly made his way to the inspector's office, where he was busy writing out reports._

 _"Takagi-kun, if that's you…" He looked up to the creaking door and gasped. "Kudou-kun, you're back!" His eyes narrowed. "But you don't look very well."_

 _Wiping sweat from his forehead, Shinichi waved it off and sat down in a spare chair. "I need to talk with you about something—I should have a while ago."_

 _Inspector Megure frowned. "Is this something involving that case you've been gone for?" he inquired._

 _Shinichi nodded and remained silent until Sato and Takagi rushed in the room. "Okay, Kudou-kun," Sato whispered as she shut the door. "What do you have to tell us?"_

 _Shinichi looked down at his feet while telling the story of him being Conan and the syndicate that caused it. Immediately after revealing this without an explanation, Takagi fainted and Inspector Megure put a hand to his head and swayed._

 _"How can you become a child, Kudou-kun?!" Sato exclaimed. "There's no way!"_

 _Shinichi sighed deeply and explained the poison, but Sato wasn't convinced. "How could that be humanly possible, Kudou-kun?"_

 _Shinichi messed with a familiar red bowtie before handing it to Sato. "Talk into it and you'll see part of it."_

 _Sato spoke into it, and her voice was suddenly that of "Sleeping Kogorou." Her eyes widened. "Hang on, are you saying that Mouri-kun is known by that name because he's literally sleeping?" She gasped. "Wait, is that why Conan was always wandering around scenes and so calm around bodies?"_

 _Shinichi nodded again. "And you understand why I couldn't tell you before, right?" he said after a cough. "Those guys in the syndicate were still after me, so I had to stay in hiding until the antidote was made and they were dealt with. This chemist friend of mine was able to…well, get rid of them for me. They're done for and will not bother me or her again." He began to cough violently and hunched over as it became harder to breathe._

 _"Kudou-kun!" He could hear multiple people call out to him as he fell into a feverish daze. He could slightly make out the words "infirmary" and felt himself being picked up before he slid to a peaceful oblivion._

 _It took him a while before he regained his senses. When he finally did, he could hear a soft voice thanking someone and quietly entering the room. The person sat on the edge of the bed and huffed. "Seriously, reckless as ever is all I can say…"_

 _Shinichi recognized that voice immediately. "Hattori?" He groaned as he partially opened his eyes. "How'd you know I was here? How long have I been here, anyway?"_

 _Heiji shook his head. "Really, Kudou, where else would ya go?" He chuckled. "As fer yer second question, ya've been gone fer 'bout two-an'-a-half hours. I just showed up after my nap an' that Takagi guy showed me here sayin' ya collapsed from fever. They're pretty worried 'bout ya, so I'm takin' ya back home_ now _."_

 _Shinichi's eyes widened. "Hattori, I have to keep solving cases or else their culprits will run away free!"_

 _Heiji merely picked up his friend piggyback in response and carried him to the car. "Just get some sleep," he finally said as he started the ignition. "If yer still asleep when we get back to the house, I'll wake ya when it's time fer dinner."_

 _X_

 _"I'm gonna go take a nap." The next day seemed eerily like the last, and that seemed odd to Shinichi._

 _"Are you not sleeping well at night?" Shinichi inquired, a hint of concern in his voice._

 _Heiji smiled. "Well, I have been up late takin' care o' ya…" A small yawn escaped his mouth. "So I need the nap everyday or else I'll pass out early!"_

 _Shinichi understood, so he let Heiji leave before using the same trick as the previous to sneak to the First Division._

 _Sato groaned. "Kudou-kun, you should be_ resting _right now…"_

 _Shinichi grinned. "But Sato-keiji, I'll be letting criminals of all sort get past me!"_

 _Sato may have got his reasoning, but she still wasn't going to let him see any case files. "Kudou-kun, please go home and rest; you look awful! I'll let you know if something happens. How does that sound?"_

 _Shinichi reluctantly nodded and trudged back home and into bed, hoping a case would come soon so he could solve it._

 _However, there were only four cases in two weeks, and only one non-fatality. Shinichi solved them without getting too_ _involved, but it left him so drained that he wouldn't get out of bed unless another case came. Eventually, a case came when Heiji was in the room with him._

 _"Um, is something wrong?" Shinichi whispered in the receiver, being given odd looks from Heiji. "It's not really good timing."_

 _"There was a case, and we may need help." Sato explained without hesitation. "Can you come over and check it out?"_

 _"Of course." Shinichi hung up and started to leave, but Heiji stopped him._

 _"Another case?" Heiji smirked. "I know ya've left four times suddenly, so I can assume ya made an officer tell ya when there's cases. Right?"_

 _Shinichi quietly agreed as he slipped on a pair of shoes. "She seemed nervous even if her voice wasn't shaken," he said after a few coughs, "so I need to make sure it's not what I think it is." He was halfway to the front door when Heiji called out._

 _"Kudou, let me come with! Ya don't know what'll happen!" He quickly put on his shoes and rushed up next to him. "I should come in case somethin' bad happens."_

 _Shinichi thanked him, and they ran all the way to the First Division._

 _"Ah, Kudou-kun!" Sato looked relieved to see them arrive. "Oh, Hattori-kun too? I guess it would be best to have more than one in this case…"_

 _Shinichi's eyes sharpened. "Then does that mean…?"_

 _Sato nodded. "Yes, this is a kidnapping case. We were able to record part of the phone call, and the victim was able to give us a hint as to where she is. Can you two come with me?" She beckoned to the boys and led them to Megure's office, where he was sitting in his chair and clutching his head. "Sir, I have Kudou-kun as you requested. Hattori-kun came as well, so I will go back to patrolling the area."_

 _Inspector Megure muttered a thanks before looking up at the two young detectives. "You're probably our best hope right now; the kidnapper said he'll shoot the victim if he sees any police trying to get where he's at…oh! I should inform you of our situation here. The one kidnapped is Takamatsu Fujiko, aged six. She is the daughter of the president of the Takamatsu Financial Group, which has racked in billions of yen over the past year, and a lot of people have recently lost their jobs there since the president got newer equipment that could do everything better and faster than people. All we have to tell us Fujiko's location is this." He pressed the play button on a recording device._

 _"Bring the ransom in four hours." The kidnapper's voice was obviously altered by a machine, but evil still seemed to emit from it as the wind howled around him. "If not, this girl's gonna get it."_

 _"Ooh, lookit! It's the Tokyo Tower's advertisement for the new Kamen Yaiba game!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed with excitement. "Can we go there, Sen…?" A loud thud interrupted the child._

 _"Hurry up, old man." The call abruptly ended, and Shinichi put a hand to his chin. He knew where the advertisement was, and there were only two building roofs that could see it; one of them being her father's building. But he knew the kidnapper wouldn't be dumb enough to hide a victim inside her father's company, so he immediately stood up and started to leave._

 _"Oi, Kudou!" Heiji jumped up to stop him. "Where do ya think yer goin'? Do ya know where this kid's at?"_

 _Shinichi nodded. "There's only two building roofs where you can see that advertisement, and one of them is her father's building. Since I know the guy wouldn't hide her there, it has to be the bank next to it."_

 _Heiji's eyes narrowed. "But what if he's…?" He stopped himself when he saw the fierce determination in Shinichi's eyes. "Yer mind's already set, isn't it? Ya wanna go deal with it by yerself, right?"_

 _Shinichi nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. "It won't take long, so you can go back to the house and wait for me." With a small wave, he rushed out of the First Division and crept around the bank in question. This had to be it, he thought to himself. Nodding in assurance as he wiped away sweat, he busted the door open and cautiously peered around. All was dark and empty, so he turned on his flashlight watch and made his way to the roof, checking each floor for possible accomplices._

 _Once he reached the roof, he was shocked to find the building completely empty. "Kuso," he whispered as he gasped for breath and leaned heavily against the doorway. "I don't have enough strength left in me, and I can't call Hattori…" He looked to the roof of the Takamatsu Group, where there were indeed two silhouettes, one large and one small. He cursed again and tried to think of what he could do. Upon putting his hands in his pockets, he noticed something that wasn't supposed to be there. It was a handgun._

 _"What the…?" He sighed, figuring Sato must have given it to him in case of emergency. "I guess she knew I'd need this." Shakily pulling up the gun, he aimed and fired three times. For some reason, he felt his hands start to burn, making him think he shot wrong, but he saw the tall figure fall, and the short one remained standing. He dropped the gun and made his way as fast as he could to the other roof to free Fujiko…_

 _"What's going on?" Shinichi's head spun as he saw the scene before him. The young girl was tied up in a chair and covered in blood—her own blood. A few feet away from her was the kidnapper, a gruff looking man about thirty years old with a pool of blood surrounding him. He frantically felt at the girl's neck, and there was a small pulse faintly beating. "Fujiko-chan! Fujiko-chan, can you hear me?"_

 _Fujiko's eyes slowly fluttered open, a magnificent purple color. "Are you…my brother?" she softly spoke._

 _Shinichi smiled as he began to undo the bonds. "Yes, I'm your onii-chan. Please hold on for just a bit longer, okay? I'm taking you somewhere where you can get all better. Do you understand, Fujiko-chan?" He carefully lifted her and began walking out._

 _Fujiko gave a quiet laugh as she grasped Shinichi's hand. "Yay, Onii-chan's back! He's come back to make me feel better…" Her hand loosened its grip, and her arm fell to her side._

 _Shinichi stopped and blanched. Lying her on the ground, he felt for a pulse again…but there was none. As he began CPR, his voice shook as he repeatedly whispered, "Fujiko-chan…please come back for Onii-chan."_

 _X_

 _Heiji looked at the clock on his phone and saw it was midnight. "That's weird…" he thought aloud. "Kudou shouldn't take that long!" He paused. "Then again, he probably has to fill out a report for Megure-keibu, so…" He considered calling but decided not to since he knew how much of a bad mood his friend would be in. Letting a yawn escape his mouth, he made his way upstairs and into bed, not knowing Shinichi was a few streets away, crying over a dead body and on the verge of passing out from fever and shock._

 _After a small coughing fit, Shinichi slightly came back to awareness and saw how dark it was. He pulled out his phone and gasped when he saw the time. "Shoot, Hattori's probably looking for me by now!" After making a quick call to the inspector saying where the victim and culprit were and writing a small note explaining what happened, he ran back to the professor's house before collapsing at the doorway._

 _"Kuso…" He cursed to himself as he shakily stood up. He slowly walked upstairs and stopped at the guest bedroom doorway. Heiji was completely passed out in his bed and loudly snoring with his blankets tossed to the floor._

 _Shinichi felt a slight sense of relief upon seeing this. "It's a good thing you're a heavy sleeper when tired enough, Hattori." He picked up the blankets and gently placed them over his fellow detective. He started to leave when he heard Heiji stir._

 _"Kudou…is she okay?" Heiji slurred, still half-asleep. "Did ya save that girl?"_

 _A sharp pain overcame Shinichi, and he ran away to his room and locked the door as tears began to slide down his face. "Fujiko-chan…I'm sorry, Fujiko-chan; Onii-chan couldn't make you feel better…"_


	21. Surprise 20: Causes and Effects?

Surprise Twenty: Causes and Effects?

Kaito finally awoke the next morning and felt quite refreshed. He looked up and saw Heiji slowly entering the room.

"Ah, yer finally awake, Kuroba!" Heiji grinned and sat beside the magician. "How do ya feel after that sleep?"

Kaito smiled. "I feel much better…" He paused for a moment. "Just out of curiosity, how long was I asleep?"

For some reason, Heiji's grin faded. "Four days," he replied. "There was another victim found on that first day, so Kudou had gone to see it. After that, he sat at that desk an' wrote notes fer _two days_ before I made 'im go to bed." He gestured to Kaito's other side, where Shinichi was tossing and turning.

Kaito was about to try and comfort Shinichi when the detective suddenly cried out, "Fujiko-chan, come back!" He broke out in a sweat and repeated the same phrase over and over. Kaito quirked an eyebrow when he noticed Heiji tense. "What's going on?" he whispered in Heiji's ear. "Who is 'Fujiko-chan?'"

Heiji's eyes darkened. "I guess he's experiencin' _that_ case all over again… Ya see, it was a simple kidnappin' that happened not too long after he got that antidote. Simply put, it's the one case he didn't solve in time. I don't know the full details since I wasn't there, but I know it messed 'im up pretty bad."

Kaito frowned, for he didn't realize that Shinichi failed his job before. "I guess I'd be messed up too if that's the only time I didn't do my job right."

Heiji nodded. "My guess is that the cold he had 'long with 'im just takin' that antidote muddled 'is brain to where he couldn't think straight."

Both fell silent as the screaming continued for the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon. Kaito had chosen to wake Shinichi when his voice started rasping and cracking.

"Shin-shin, wake up!" Kaito sat Shinichi upright and shook him until his eyes opened.

"Kaito…" Shinichi faintly whispered as tears began to form. Trembling, he tightly wrapped his arms around Kaito and started to cry. Surprisingly to him, Kaito merely accepted it and stroked his hair.

The only sound in that room for the next few minutes was Shinichi's quiet sobbing. Eventually, he sat back up and wiped away the tears, his eyes red-rimmed. "Thanks, Kaito; I really needed that."

Kaito draped an arm around Shinichi. "Shin-shin…" He looked downward and spoke with a nervous tone. "C-can you tell me what happened?"

Shinichi gave a deep sigh. "Hattori probably gave you his interpretation, right?" He looked up to Heiji with a faint trace of a smile. "You want to know too, don't you? I know you've been curious ever since you heard the police report."

Heiji sat at the desk chair. "Well _yeah_ , I wanna know but ya don't have to tell us if ya don't want!"

Shinichi shook his head. "You guys should know what happened; maybe that can help me cope with it…" He paused for a moment before explaining what really happened. He avoided eye contact the entire time, especially when saying the girl's final words. Once he was finished, the circles under his eyes seemed to be even darker.

"Are you okay?" Kaito couldn't help but ask. "You don't look well."

Even if he felt nauseous, Shinichi waved it off with a small yawn. "I'm fine!" His eyes suddenly widened. "But I do need to see that…" He grabbed his notebook from the desk, but Heiji grabbed his wrist before he could leave.

"Are ya sure yer okay, Kudou?" Heiji kept his gaze on Shinichi. "Ya know ya can always wait on somethin' like that…"

Shinichi cut him off with a slap to the hand. " _Ba'arou!_ " he exclaimed, tears forming. "You know what happens if you wait with murder? _More murder!_ And you guys will…" He blanched and leaned against the wall as his legs threatened to give out.

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "Whaddya mean, Kudou?" he asked.

Shinichi shook his head as he struggled to remain standing.

Kaito suddenly stood up and whispered something in Heiji's ear. Shinichi knew he wouldn't be able to hear any of it, so he chose to escape the room before his legs finally failed him partway down the hall.

As he sat there on the floor trembling from fever and sadness, he heard soft footsteps approaching him. Since he knew they weren't Kaito's or Heiji's, he stubbornly sat and waited for them to pass by. However, he opened his eyes after a few moments to see a hand.

"Are you alright?" From the voice, Shinichi figured it was a teenage boy. "If you're feeling unwell, I can help you to the infirmary."

Shinichi took the hand and stood back up. "Thank you, but I'm fine…" He was cut off when the boy pulled out a thermometer and placed it not on his forehead like most would do but under his tongue.

"Hm, you have quite the fever to be wandering around the ship," the boy noted aloud. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Shinichi put a hand to his head as the world started to sway. "Actually, I am a bit dizzy…" He gasped in pain and fell to the floor. Luckily, the boy was able to get him standing and helped him to the infirmary.

"Oh!" The nurse looked quite surprised. "What seems to be wrong with him?"

"He has a serious fever and collapsed at least once, so he needs immediate attention." The boy helped the nurse get Shinichi to a bed and watched while she examined him. She knew he was watching but figured it was a worried friend and left it at that.

After checking basic things like blood pressure and temperature, she gave Shinichi some acetaminophen before turning back to the boy by the door. "I know you must be worried about your friend, but he should be fine after he rests up since he's quite short on sleep as well."

The boy smiled. "I don't know this guy; I just found him in the hallway like this and thought it best to help him."

The nurse watched as the boy left with a soft laugh. "I suppose it's nice to have that kind of person in this world; so many of them lose that good in their heart for the temptation and greed that turns them into monsters."

X

"Excuse me, but have you seen anyone looking ill down this hallway?"

"Um, yeah, I helped him to the infirmary since he collapsed…"

"Thank you!" Kaito and Heiji rushed down the hall before stopping in front of said infirmary. Quietly opening the door, they saw a nurse sitting beside the only occupied bed.

She smiled warmly. "Come in; he just fell asleep. Are you his friends?"

Heiji nodded. "Yeah, ya could say we know each other well. We were talkin' 'bout somethin' when he suddenly ran out. We've been tryin' to find 'im ever since an' luckily showed up here since that one guy helped 'im. That reckless _aho_ …"

Kaito bent down beside the bed and felt Shinichi's forehead. "But his temperature is a lot lower, and he's not having nightmares just yet."

The nurse frowned. "Sorry for the change of subject, but just who are you three? I feel like I've seen you all somewhere."

Heiji grinned. "Ah, that's Kudou Shinichi, _azuma no meitantei_ , an' I'm Hattori Heiji, _nishi no meitantei_. Over here is Kuroba Kaito, son o' Kuroba Toichi an' a trainin' magician."

The nurse's eyes widened. "So that's the famous child detective from Tokyo! I heard a story about him once quite a while back, and I've always been a huge fan of his parents…" They kept their light conversations until Shinichi finally awoke a couple hours later.

"Where am I…?" Shinichi let out a long yawn and rubbed at his eyes. "Did I fall asleep?"

Kaito ruffled his hair. "Nah, you just had to go to the infirmary since you _collapsed_!" Even if there was a smile on the magician's face, anyone would have known that he wasn't happy at all involving the situation.

"Um, how do you feel, Kudou-san? I gave you some acetaminophen before you fell asleep, and it seemed to greatly reduce your fever…" The nurse shyly spoke up as heat rose to her cheeks.

Shinichi waved it off with a reassuring smirk. "I'm okay; I have more important things to worry about than a bit of dizziness!" He tried to leave the room, but Heiji blocked the doorway, looking almost as mad as Kaito.

"Kudou, ya need to stop lyin' 'bout this stuff!" He gave a hug to his surprised friend. "If ya don't feel well, just tell us, an' we'll help ya get better. Ya shouldn't be puttin' so much toward this case that ya may not know everythin' 'bout."

Shinichi looked to the floor and chuckled quietly. "I appreciate your generosity, Hattori, but this case is far more important than my current state of health. If it gets bad enough, then yes, I'll go to bed and rest up, but it hasn't gotten critically bad yet." He attempted to leave again, and Heiji chose to let him go.

It took a very short time for Shinichi to rush his way to the crime scene, only to find the body not there. "Wha…where did the body go?" he wondered aloud in utter shock.

A familiar voice laughed. "I heard that someone told the police to dispose of the body after taking enough pictures since this case can't be solved quick enough."

Shinichi gasped. "Hey, it's you—the kid that took me to the infirmary!"

Sure enough, a figure stepped out of the shadows of the crime scene, wearing a large hooded coat and sunglasses. "Yeah, it's me. So what?"

Shinichi's eyes narrowed. "I know you're not a regular kid. Who are you?"

"What do you mean?" the boy asked, his head tilted in confusion.

Shinichi shook his head. "You know quite a bit of _interesting_ things for being so young… and it's odd that someone as young as yourself is even here in the first place. _Who are you?_ "

The boy vaguely waved a hand. "Oh, just an average mystery fan." He paused. "A better question is what are _you_ doing here? You're only a few years older than me and ill at that, so you shouldn't be mad at me for being here."

Shinichi smirked. "Don't you know who I am? I'm Kudou Shinichi, a detective that never leaves a case unsolved! You think I'm going to let the police try and solve it themselves? Heck no!"

The boy turned away to face the scene. "But isn't it strange? I was thinking that the two cases had to be connected since so few people are onboard, yet they are hardly alike. Maybe there's something I'm missing?" He walked over and picked up the metal bat with gloved hands. "Meitantei-san, come feel this; it feels odd!"

Shinichi quickly slipped on a glove and felt the bat. "You're right; it's fake blood. But how did he die then…?" He put a hand to his chin as his thoughts raced about not the case but the boy standing next to him. He knew that the boy could tell it was fake blood from just a glance, which was quite odd.

 _Who is this kid? Is he a child detective like Hattori and I were, or…?_ He blew away the thought and returned to the case. He tried to figure out how the victim was killed but came to no conclusion since there were no signs of strangulation, poisoning, or external injuries large enough to be fatal. He felt that he had no other choice but to call Heiji.

For some reason, Kaito answered. "What's up, Shin-shin?"

Shinichi frowned. "Where's Hattori? I need to talk to him about something important."

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "Heiji-kun just fell asleep on our couch while reading something out of his notebook. Do you need me to wake him?"

Shinichi could tell Kaito was growing worried. "Um, no, you can just call me when he wakes up." He was just about to press the "end" button on his phone when Kaito cried out, "Wait!"

"Shin-shin, let me help you with this case; I can tell it won't be easy!" It sounded as if Kaito was about to burst into tears. "That's why you called Heiji-kun, right? Because you finally need someone to help you."

Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine, fine, you can come…" He stopped as he realized something. "Hang on, you're a good magician, right? How good are you at seeing out tricks?"

Kaito hiccuped. "I guess I'm pretty good, but is the b-body still there? I get queasy when I see them."

Shinichi chuckled softly. "Don't worry; I think Hattori made the police dispose of it after taking tons of pictures. But will you be okay coming down here and seeing the scene itself?"

"I'll be fine as long as there's no body or too much blood!" Kaito hung up and ran down the hall to the scene of the second murder, where he found his _Tantei-kun_ deep in thought standing next to a strange hooded figure. "Shin-shin, who's your new friend?"

Shinichi jumped a bit as he snapped back to reality. "That sure was fast…" he muttered under his breath before recomposing himself. "This is the guy who helped me to the infirmary earlier, and he's a fan of mystery novels who wanted to help." He paused and turned to the boy. "Actually, what's your name? I don't think you've said it yet."

The boy turned to them and gave a quick bow. "I'm Shimada Koichi."

Kaito bowed in return, noticing Shinichi's eyes narrow again. "So Shin-shin," he changed the subject. "Can you tell me what we know so far?"

Shinichi put a hand to his chin and surveyed the scene. "Well, it's not very much just yet. There was what appeared to be a bloody metal bat that we thought was the weapon, but it has been recently discovered that it was fake blood, meaning it wasn't used to kill the victim. I looked closely, yet I can't find any signs of strangulation, poison, or any external injuries. If a medical examiner were here right now, he'd tell us exactly how he died…"

Kaito frowned. "Is it possible for him to have died of natural causes?"

Shinichi shook his head. "Then why would the bat be here then? It was a well-planned murder that somehow hid the cause of death…" He stopped when he saw Kaito's eyes light up.

"Shin-shin, did you look for any tiny prick-marks that could be from needles?" he asked. "It may have been some kind of poison that was injected instead of ingested."

Koichi laughed. "So that's the answer; it was that simple!"

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Are you saying you found a prick-mark on the victim's body? Show me!"

Koichi pulled out a small camera and set it to a certain picture of a tiny red mark. "I found it on his arm and noticed it was quite recent, so I thought it may be possible."

Shinichi's eyes sharpened as he handed the camera back to Koichi. "Why didn't you tell the police about this?" he inquired. "If they knew, we could have solved that mystery ages ago!"

Koichi flinched. "H-how could you tell?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Even if some of the officers don't seem very smart, I know some of the best that can do just about anything at any time or place; they could have found out the cause of death if they knew about that…" He trailed off as he began to cough.

Kaito wrapped an arm around Shinichi. "I think that's enough running around for you! Let's go back to the room, and you can do what you need in there." He began to lead Shinichi out of the room when the detective spoke up.

"Koichi, be careful. If the culprit knew how smart you were, you could wind up as his next target."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Ooh, so a new character appears...(again, a made-up one, but an interesting one at that!). Thanks for all the support thus far; I am quite surprised that so many of you are reading my story! I know some will be happy when I say this arc will end soon-mainly because of certain upcoming circumstances and the fact that I was getting tired of it after so long (don't forget the fact that I wrote all this a while ago...I'm literally writing Surprise Forty right now as I type this note. The only reasons that I don't update to what I'm doing now are that I need to proofread and such as well as the fact that I don't want to feel pressured to write a chapter a week since I have Christmas to get ready for. Talk about spending all your money on presents for ungrateful people and using your hand as much as possible to draw handmade Conan cards.) But that's enough of me rambling; this is getting long. I hope you have enjoyed the story so far, and let me know if you have any ideas for a possible sequel...oops, I shouldn't have said that. But I guess that's your reward for reading this extremely long and unimportant paragraph. Now back to that drawing of Ayumi in a Christmas dress and Kogorou saying he forgot about Ran's gift... ;) Actually, that's almost as hilarious as the Kaitou Kid card my fangirly cousin made for me with the secret message on the back (except I did the same thing but wrote it in Japanese...I am a nerd.).  
**_

 _ **Also, in celebration of Christmas, I will give you a parody of the poem "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...Conan style. I had to do it in English class and felt you guys should celebrate its...(awkwardness?) uniqueness.**_

 _ **Twas the night before the concert, and all through the agency**_

 _ **There was utter chaos caused by one of the three.**_

 _ **You see, he was a BIG fan of the popstar idol Yoko,**_

 _ **So when he got free tickets, he went completely loco.**_

 _ **He forced awake Ran and Conan at half-past three A.M.,**_

 _ **And without another word, into the rental car he put them.**_

 _ **It took them many hours, but they arrived at the hall,**_

 _ **It was just in time, in fact, for Conan had received a call.**_

 _ **It was his detective friend Heiji with some interesting news,**_

 _ **Apparently he was at the concert with his love interest too.**_

 _ **"Who was that?" Ran asked as she stared at the young boy,**_

 _ **For he wore an expression of abundant joy.**_

 _ **"It's Heiji-niichan!" he exclaimed, "he's here too!"**_

 _ **But he didn't know there'd be a situation soon.**_

 _ **While the bumbling Kogorou searched for his obsession,**_

 _ **Conan spotted Heiji with a bit of depression.**_

 _ **"Oh, Kudou," he said, a glazed look in his eyes,**_

 _ **"There's somethin' over here ya may recognize."**_

 _ **So to the dressing room he led the boy with a deadpan,**_

 _ **For inside was the body of a 23-year-old man.**_

 _ **"How'd he die?" Conan asked, the annoyance clear on his face,**_

 _ **For many times in his life had he stumbled upon a case.**_

 _ **Heiji merely laughed as he examined the crime,**_

 _ **He knew the boy had a secret he'd been dealing with for a long time.**_

 _ **"I think that knife's what killed this guy,**_

 _ **So we should go check everyone's alibi."**_

 _ **Yoko, his girlfriend, had plenty of confirmation,**_

 _ **Since millions had seen her on live television.**_

 _ **There were three others, however, with not-so-solid grounds;**_

 _ **Not a soul had seen or heard them around.**_

 _ **"So what now, Kudou?" Heiji looked to his friend,**_

 _ **Who was confused and amused in a rather odd blend.**_

 _ **"I don't get this case, but I know where to look."**_

 _ **The detectives searched some more and discovered the crook.**_

 _ **"So it's that person," Heiji grinned as he eyed the room,**_

 _ **"An' all we need fer evidence is that costume."**_

 _ **Conan raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with mystery.**_

 _ **"Is that all we need for truthful victory?"**_

 _ **Heiji ignored him and looked along the rack,**_

 _ **But what he was looking for was in lack.**_

 _ **"What's goin' on?" he grumbled, running a hand through his hair,**_

 _ **As he watched Conan run over to the tall stool chair.**_

 _ **After a moment, he returned with a faint smile,**_

 _ **And said, "Missing a deduction just isn't our style."**_

 _ **Heiji nodded in agreement and searched once more**_

 _ **Before finding something odd lying there on the floor.**_

 _ **"Hey, Kudou," he spoke as he picked up their clue,**_

 _ **"I think this case is finally through."**_

 _ **So they went to the cops and gave their theory,**_

 _ **Fully aware that Kogorou was a little too cheery.**_

 _ **"Wait, there was a case?" he cried, his reputation ruined,**_

 _ **For he was a "great detective" that now felt disillusioned.**_

 _ **A phantom thief laughed as he whisked away into flight,**_

 _ **"I hope you had fun, my Tantei-kun. Good night!"**_


	22. Surprise 21: Stay Hidden?

_**Author's Small-ish Note: Okay, so this chapter title is really bad, but I assure you a lot of them are much better (I may go back and change some of these AWFUL ones). Also, I now realize there is a loooooong note at the end of this, but you don't have to read it or anything...unless you feel like hearing me talk about the upcoming 21st movie and whatever else I decided to talk about down there. Thanks for all the support with this book; I can see an end in sight-except I'm currently writing the 42nd chapter for this, and it's another flashback to some interesting things...oops, did I spoil what's going to happen? Ah well, it's not too big like what will...oh, I should be quiet so you can just read the stinkin' chapter.**_

* * *

Surprise Twenty-One: Stay Hidden?

Once Shinichi was back in his room with Kaito and the dozing Heiji, he felt his mask start to slip. He started to tremble as well, so he sat on the bed and wrapped the blanket around himself as he started to have a coughing fit.

Kaito frowned. "Is something wrong?" He carefully sat beside Shinichi and draped an arm over his shoulder. "Are you just getting sick again from running around so much?"

Feeling a dizzy spell as his vision started to blur, Shinichi cuddled closer to the magician and closed his eyes. "Yeah, I think it's just a cold…" he mumbled softly, a wave of sleepiness washing over him. "I should be okay after taking some medicine and resting for today…"

Kaito gave a warm smile as he lied Shinichi down and adjusted the blankets. "Just stay awake a little longer," he whispered while gently moving hair from Shinichi's face. "I'm going to get your medicine and such." Lightly kissing the detective's forehead, Kaito got up and left the room.

A groan came from the sofa as Heiji awoke. "I guess I dozed off while readin' notes…" Slowly sitting up, he took a single glance at Shinichi and sighed. "Ya went runnin' off again an' got yerself an acute upper respiratory infection, right?"

Shinichi smirked. "You make it seem like it's bad," he said with a cough. "All I have is a cough and lethargy!"

Heiji stood up and pressed his hand on Shinichi's forehead before nodding to himself. "Ya got quite the fever too, Kudou; enough to be dizzy an' possibly delirious. Speakin' of which, where's Kuroba? I figured he'd be here nursin' ya 'til he passed out."

Shinichi closed his heavy eyes. "He's getting me cold medicine and other things he said I needed." With the blanket's warmth wrapped around him, he felt his drowsiness grow even more—he couldn't help but doze off for a few minutes until he felt a hand on his side.

"Oi, Kudou, get up; I can hear Kuroba's footsteps down the hall!" Heiji helped Shinichi sit up and noticed a wince. "Are ya okay?"

Even if his head was pounding and the world slowly spun, Shinichi nodded. "I think I'm a bit feverish, but the medicine will help…" He stopped with a yawn as the door slowly opened.

"I'm back!" Kaito exclaimed. "And I brought everything!" In his arms, he carried a bottle of cold medicine, a bowl of soup, extra blankets, a thermometer, and a few cool cloths.

Shinichi gave a tired smile. "Thank you, Kaito, but you didn't have to bring all this stuff; I can take care of myself!"

Clucking his tongue, Kaito shook his head. "I don't think you'd get very far when it comes to certain things…" He held out the bowl of soup. "You need to eat something, so here you go!" He thrust it into Shinichi's hands and made sure he ate every last bit.

Wiping his mouth, Shinichi leaned back against the headboard as nausea replaced his drowsiness. "I probably shouldn't have eaten that much; I'll probably throw up later…"

Kaito's eyes widened a bit when he saw how pale Shinichi was. He quickly pulled out the thermometer and checked his temperature before cursing silently. "Really high," was all he said before spooning medicine in Shinichi's mouth. "Do you think you can sleep?" he changed the subject as he lied Shinichi down.

Shinichi placed an arm over his eyes and moaned. "I'm super tired, but I feel like I'm going to throw up and probably won't be able to sleep."

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "How about we have Heiji-kun get some motion sickness pills from the front desk?" He turned to Heiji. "Would you mind?"

Heiji stood up and left the room, searching for an employee. Finally, he found one wandering around the halls. "Oi!" He called out and rushed up to her, gasping for breath.

The young woman quirked an eyebrow. "Is something wrong, Sir?"

"Yeah, my friend got sick an' needs some o' them motion sickness pills!"

The woman rummaged through her jacket pocket before procuring four individually-wrapped pills. "This should be enough for now. If you need more, just ask one of the workers!" Heiji bowed deeply and thanked her before rushing back only to find his fellow detective keeled over a trash can with Kaito rubbing his back.

Shinichi coughed and wiped sweat from his forehead. "I _hate_ it when that happens…"

Kaito gave a comforting smile as he opened one of the pills. "Well, this should make it go away!" Handing the pill to Shinichi, Kaito gently placed a cool cloth on his forehead after lying him down. "Now sleep; I can tell you're tired."

Shinichi closed his eyes, but multiple things started to bother him. It took well over an hour for him to doze off, and the other two could tell.

Once Shinichi was asleep, Kaito let out a long sigh. "There's something going on that he won't talk about."

Heiji nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I noticed that too. I'm guessin' that it has somethin' to do with this case, but I can't be sure unless I ask 'im later."

Kaito's expression saddened as he watched the slumbering Shinichi. _What's really going on, Shin-shin? Why are you hiding from me again?_

X

Shinichi was hoping he'd sleep well, but he quickly found himself in a feverish nightmare once again.

 _Shinichi was growing anxious as he began to pace the Kudou living room. Kaito had left to buy them dinner and hadn't returned._

 _"Stop worrying so much!" he whispered to himself. "He probably went to that new café and is buying sweets…" His thoughts were interrupted when the front door began to slowly open. He stopped pacing and sighed in relief. "Kaito, where have you…?"_

 _The door was now fully open, and a bloody and battered magician was lying on the doorstep. "Kaito!" Shinichi instantly rushed up to him and began to shake him. Before he was able to realize it, there was the cold metal of a gun on the back of his neck, accompanied by the sound of a metallic click._

 _"This is quite sad, Tantei. This young man has been killed because you were too worried about yourself and got him involved in something he had no involvement in whatsoever."_

A scream made its way out of Shinichi's throat as he quickly sat up and struggled for gasps of breath. He felt like his whole body was made of melting jelly, and he could see two blurry figures on the other side of the spinning room.

"Shin-shin!" One of the figures made his way to the bedside and gasped upon feeling Shinichi's forehead. "Heiji-kun, he's scorching hot! Where's that new pill Haibara made before leaving?"

The other figure rummaged through a bag as Shinichi leaned closer to the first figure. He felt considerably cooler and calmer next to this person, so he closed his eyes and gave in to his serious illness.

Kaito, this first figure, cursed when he saw Shinichi passed out next to him. "Hurry, Heiji-kun; he just fell unconscious!"

Heiji held up a small, red pill and walked over by Shinichi. "Let's hope it does what that kid said…" Popping the pill in Shinichi's slightly agape mouth, he bent down and waited to see what would happen.

A few moments later, a cough came from Shinichi as his eyes slowly fluttered open. "Kaito?" he slurred in a mumble. "What's going on? I feel so weak and dizzy and hot…"

Kaito sighed in relief. "Man, Scientist-san sure knows her stuff!" He softly embraced Shinichi and dropped his voice. "You're sick, Shin-shin… _really_ sick. Your fever is probably at a record high, so you're probably suffering a lot…" His voice cut off as his emotions threatened to burst.

Memory of his nightmare returned to Shinichi, making him wince. "I-I'll be okay, Kaito," he rasped with a cough. "I just need to rest for a while."

"Oi, Kudou, I got a question fer ya!" Heiji cut in, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I saw ya havin' a dream earlier. What was it about?"

Kaito, with a concerned look on his face, slowly stood up as Shinichi grew paler. "You don't have to say anything if you can't; we're just really worried about you."

Shinichi shook his head and sat up, inducing a coughing fit. "No, I should tell you," he whispered. So he told of his nightmare, but both were confused as to why he had it.

"Why are ya havin' nightmares again, Kudou?" Heiji asked, an eyebrow raised in mild confusion. "Are ya scared o' somethin'?"

Shinichi gave a hesitant nod and shakily stood up. "I've been really worried that someone like you two or Ran will be harmed with these two deaths occurring." He opened his backpack and pulled out three Holmes-designed badges. "These are extra badges Haibara brought. I also have the tracking glasses here, so…"

Heiji's eyes brightened as it struck him. "Ah, ya want us two 'long with yer Neechan to have these on so ya know where we're at. I don't really mind. How 'bout you, Kuroba?"

Kaito smiled. "I'll wear one too if it makes Shin-shin happy!" He grabbed one and pinned it to his shirt. "Hey, don't these things have transmitters and such so we can talk?" He changed the subject abruptly.

Shinichi smirked. "They do, but we probably won't need them unless it's an emergency…" A yawn escaped his throat, making him blush.

Heiji chuckled and took the other two badges. "I'll take one to yer Neechan; ya need to go back to bed!" After helping Kaito get Shinichi in bed, he gave a quick wave and was gone.

"That's better! Now then…" Kaito turned to Shinichi and gasped when seeing tears. "Hey, what's up? Why are you crying?"

Shinichi gave a quiet laugh. "I'm not crying, Kaito; I'm relieved that you and Hattori are so willing to help me with everything…"

Kaito quickly became confused. "Wait, what do you mean? You should know that we'd help!" But the detective had fallen into a feverish doze, his pale face glistening with sweat and his body trembling from chills. Kaito huffed as he cuddled beside Shinichi. "And you said you could take care of yourself…" The magician closed his eyes and lost all sense of awareness.

When Kaito finally came to a few hours later, he was surprised to see the bright-red sun sparkling onto the ocean. "Wow, it's already that late?" He yawned and looked down to see how Shinichi was doing, but he quickly realized it wasn't the best. Shinichi may have gained color back in his face, but he was shaking and sweating so much that Kaito just about panicked. He took a deep breath to calm himself and gently shook Shinichi. "Shin-shin, get up~" he softly whispered.

Shinichi moaned sleepily. "Kaito, just let me sleep," he mumbled into his pillow before snores came from his mouth.

Kaito snickered and shook him a bit harder. "Shin-shin, come on; we need to go eat something!" That got Shinichi to sit up, his tired body swaying.

"What time is it?" he asked with a slur to his voice. "How long did I sleep?"

Kaito grinned and ruffled his hair. "It's almost sunset," he replied, "so we should be going and seeing the others while eating a _luxurious_ dinner!" He paused to eye Shinichi. "How are you feeling? To me, you look pretty bad."

Shinichi gave a shaky smirk. "I'll be okay as long as I'm sitting down; I don't know if I can stand. Other than that, I have a bit of a headache and dizziness…" He let out a long yawn. "And I'm still fatigued from this cold."

Kaito nodded. "Okay, I think that wheelchair I brought is in my suitcase, so let me get that." And sure enough, he brought a wheelchair.

 _Man, this guy thinks of everything!_ Shinichi couldn't help but laugh a bit as Kaito helped him in and pushed him to the dining hall.

Ran, who was talking to Sato and Kazuha, stood up and waved them over. "Over here!"

Kaito helped Shinichi to the table and sat himself between him and Ran. "Hello, everyone! How are you doing?"

Everyone said they were good, and Ran turned to face Shinichi. "Are _you_ okay, Shinichi? I remember Hattori-kun saying something about you being sick again."

Shinichi gave a tired smile. "I'm doing better; I just need another day or so to recover."

Kazuha frowned. "Speakin' o' Heiji, where is he? I haven't seen 'im in a while."

Ran's eyes widened. "Hey, you're right! Have you two seen Hattori-kun recently?"

Kaito put a hand to his chin and hummed thoughtfully. "Well, the last time we saw him was a few hours ago when he was helping out. I thought he was going back to see you, Kazuha-san…but he didn't?"

Kazuha shook her head as she started to blanch. "I haven't seen 'im since this mornin' when he said he had stuff to do and wouldn't be back 'til later."

Ran's eyes brightened. "Wait, I remember him coming to my room a few hours ago and giving me something; that was probably after he left the boys. Where could he be?"

Sato stood up. "I can wake Takagi-kun, and we can look for you. After all, there is a murderer on board this ship."

Shinichi stopped her. "Hang on, Sato-keiji. Is something wrong with Takagi-keiji?"

Sato shook her head, her lips quirking to a smile. "No, it's just that he's been trying so hard to help you and Hattori-kun with this case that he isn't sleeping, so I made him go to bed about an hour ago when he showed up looking dead on his feet."

Shinichi sighed deeply. "Well, thanks…to both of you. I know Hattori would be saying the same if he were here right now…" He cut himself off as a strange feeling settled into the bottom of his stomach and voices started whispering to him, _You know he won't come back; you know what happened._ He silently cursed and placed his head in his hands.

Sato gasped a little. "K-Kudou-kun, are you alright?" She gently placed a hand on his tense shoulder.

"I-I'm fine, Sato-keiji; just go find him!" Shinichi sounded panicked, which was abnormal of him, and everyone at that table knew that.

Sato, with a look of deep concern, decided to leave it and went to get Takagi.

"What's wrong, Shinichi?" Ran attempted to comfort him while Kaito went to get food. "Are you worried about Hattori-kun?"

Shinichi remained silent for a while before realizing something. "Ran, get the pair of glasses from Kaito's bag," he muttered as he shakily sat back up.

Slightly confused, Ran did so and handed them to him. "But what do you…?" She silenced when Shinichi pressed the left side, making an LCD screen illuminate itself. It looked like some sort of radar to her with three blinking dots.

"Tell Kaito I'll be back in a bit." Shinichi stood up with the glasses still on and ran out of the room without a moment's hesitation to trace the red dot.

When he arrived at the location, he saw it was in front of a random bedroom. "What would he be doing here?" Shinichi wondered aloud as he started to reach for the door, but he felt something strange under his foot. Stepping back, he looked to the floor and just about fainted when he realized it was the Shounen Tantei badge he had given Heiji, smashed to bits but somehow giving a faint signal.

"No way…" Shinichi felt his legs give out, and he collapsed into someone's arms. "Wha…?" He looked up and saw Ran's face, tears sparkling in her eyes.

"S-sorry, Shinichi, I couldn't just stay behind." Her voice shook as she sat on the ground beside Shinichi and tightly hugged him. "Where's Hattori-kun, Shinichi? Where did he go?"

Shinichi closed his eyes. "He's gone, Ran. He's been taken by the person that wants my life—probably someone that really likes messing with people and their emotions."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Ooh, so Heiji's kidnapped now! But that's not what I wanted to mention in this note (besides all the thanks for the continued support). It occurred to me as I (slowly) write a conclusion to this interesting story, so I will say it here and now. You may have noticed that I sometimes don't have Shinichi voice his thoughts...there is a reason for this. That is because I don't want you guys figuring out who did it and how super easily-the anime and manga do the exact same thing. Also, the ending may not be the best when you finally get there, but I will say it is difficult to create hints for the main character to find out who did it when you yourself already know!  
**_

 _ **Also, Happy New Year! Let's hope 2017's Conan movie (the "super love comedy" with Heiji and Kazuha) will be as good as the Episode "One"'s preview showed! Oh, have you guys seen that remake of the first episode? Even if Haibara is my all-time least favorite character, it was still rather interesting having most of the pieces put together for how everything led up to that...ahem, date at Tropical Land. Yeah, there was still one question for me, but maybe they'll answer that as I continue to watch. (I'm ashamed to admit it, but I have only seen 444 episodes of Conan as well as most the movies, the "Murder Kudou Shinichi" arc, the "Conan and Heiji's Code of Love" case [laughs], and the "Kudou Shinichi's Aquarium Case.") And for all the Zelda fans, however few there may be reading this, let's hope that we get a GOOD Zelda game this year since Breath of the Wild is just a Skyrim meets Minecraft meets Zelda...like seriously, where are the PUZZLES and the MASTER SWORD?!  
**_


	23. Surprise 22: Appearances?

Surprise Twenty-Two: Appearances?

It had been two days since Heiji mysteriously disappeared, and Shinichi was becoming paranoid. He would always search new rooms for his fellow detective during the day and map everything out in his notebook at night. Kaito tried to make him sleep, but Shinichi would start having panic attacks at the mere mention of sleep.

"I can't waste any time!" he cried. "I have to find him before anything bad happens!"

Kaito huffed. "Shin-shin, it's already one in the morning; _please_ go to sleep!"

Before Shinichi could reply, there was a bang on the door. He quickly opened it and gasped when looking at the floor. Passed out and bloody with a trail of blood behind him, Heiji lied there with a pained expression. "K-Kaito, get the bandages…" Shinichi put a hand to his mouth as he stopped himself from vomiting.

Kaito raised an eyebrow as he did so. "What's up, Shin-shin…?" He walked closer to the doorway to see what happened, and his eyes widened. "Heiji-kun!" He shook the Osakan detective, who let out a quiet moan as his eyes partially opened.

"Thank goodness," he slurred softly as Shinichi and Kaito carefully lifted him up. "I was worried that ya wouldn't be awake, but I guess I knew ya well…" He started to cough, and blood spurted from his mouth. He cursed as his eyes slid shut. "Be careful, ya two."

Kaito and Shinichi placed Heiji on the couch before the magician stepped between the detectives. "Shin-shin, go to bed; I can take care of him."

Shinichi, who was already quite pale, grew even whiter. "N-no, I need to…" He was cut off when he began to retch and vomited.

Kaito rubbed Shinichi's back. "See? Just go to sleep, and it will be taken care of by tomorrow when you wake up. Besides, you haven't slept at all in two days!" He led Shinichi to bed and made sure he was sound asleep before returning to Heiji's side.

"Honestly, these two cause _way_ more trouble than they think!" Kaito shook his head and began taking care of both Heiji and Shinichi until he was too tired to keep going.

"What time is it?" He yawned and stared at the digital alarm clock. 9:03 A.M. That meant he had been up all night, and he would have to take a couple short naps to make up for it. Yawning again, he flopped into bed beside Shinichi and began to snore, not realizing Shinichi was just starting to wake up.

"Wow, I feel better!" Shinichi sat up and stretched, a cool, damp cloth falling into his lap. Feeling curiosity, he picked it up and examined it. Sure enough, it was freezing cold, which meant it was just applied. Turning to his side and seeing Kaito, he sighed and moved hair from his face. "Again, you stay up all night to make everyone else feel better…thank you." His lips quirked to a smile as he stood up to check on Heiji.

"Hattori?" he whispered, slowly approaching him. A sense of immense of relief washed over him when seeing how much better Heiji looked.

Heiji grumbled and turned to face Shinichi. "Whaddya want, Kudou? Can't ya see I'm sleepin' over here…?" He was interrupted when a tear-filled Shinichi hugged him.

"You're okay!" Shinichi sobbed happily. "I was so worried that you wouldn't come back; I searched everywhere for you!"

Heiji chuckled and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Ya gotta have more faith in me, Kudou!" He paused. "But I will admit, I appreciate that ya spent so much time worryin' 'bout me."

Shinichi gave a shaky laugh and sniffed. "I was looking for you day and night since the moment I found that badge destroyed, even with Kaito's complaining. I'm glad now that I chose to stay up or else we may not have found out about you until this morning, and it could have been too late…"

Heiji huffed. "Ya should know that stayin' up for 48 hours straight ain't good fer ya!" He smirked and lied back down. "Speakin' o' that, I should go back to sleep." He yawned and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position before falling into a deep sleep.

Shinichi whispered a "pleasant dreams" before standing back up. He knew he could go back to bed since he was pretty tired himself, but he figured he should tell the others that Heiji was okay…and get something to eat since he hadn't eaten in two days, he added as his stomach rumbled loudly.

"Ah, Shinichi, _ohayō!_ " Ran, who was sitting next to a downcast Kazuha with a slightly surprised look, waved him over to their table. "I didn't think you were going to be eating anything with what's going on…where's Kaito-kun? Is he asleep?"

Shinichi plopped into a chair with a sigh. "Yeah, he was up literally _all night_ taking care of me and Hattori…"

Kazuha's eyes widened at the mention of her husband. "W-wait, do you mean it? Is he back? Is he okay?"

Shinichi smirked. "We found him last night unconscious by our door. I checked just a few minutes ago, and he seemed better. If you want to see him for yourself, he's in my room."

Kazuha, teary-eyed, deeply bowed and thanked Shinichi before rushing off to see Heiji. Ran, however, chose to stay behind. "I'm going to get you some food," she told Shinichi, taking note of the tired aura he seemed to give off.

Shinichi laughed softly and gave a quiet thanks. Ran stood up and got Shinichi some food before sitting beside him.

"Ran, what is it? I can tell something's bothering you." Shinichi set down his chopsticks after a few moments. "You've been staring at me for the past five minutes."

Ran looked away, her cheeks turning pink. "I-I'm worried about you, Shinichi."

Shinichi shook his head and huffed. "Ran, there's nothing wrong with me!" He gave her a reassuring smile. "Now cheer up! The ship stops at Nagoya today, so you should be excited!" After quickly finishing the rest of his food, he patted her on the shoulder and left. He could sense Ran's frustration towards him, but it would have to wait until he wasn't so tired.

 _Well, let's hope this can end soon!_ He flopped into bed beside Kaito and closed his eyes…but he could not fall asleep. He tried multiple techniques, but they did nothing to help. After half an hour, he groggily sat up and started out the window, letting his thoughts wander.

It seemed like forever until a hand was on Shinichi's. He jumped and turned around, seeing a smiling half-asleep magician. "Oh, it's just you." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey, Kaito, why were you up all night again?" He abruptly changed the subject.

Kaito snickered. "Well, who else was there to take care of you and Heiji-kun?" He ruffled Shinichi's hair. "After all, you were passed out and had a fever!"

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow in mild curiosity. "How bad was it?" he asked. "If it wasn't too high, you should have just slept and waited for it to pass!"

Kaito smirked. "It was high enough for me to worry…" He paused for a moment to eye Shinichi. "Have you eaten anything today?"

Shinichi nodded. "Yeah, I went to eat something after I got up and told Ran and Kazuha about Hattori…speaking of which, where is Kazuha? I thought she left to come here."

"I told her to go to bed," a voice mumbled. Heiji slowly sat up and winced as dizziness and nausea set it. "I could tell she didn't sleep much, so I made her go back an' take a nap with Akemi."

Ignoring everything Heiji said, Kaito went up to him and checked his temperature. "Hm, it's still too high for my liking. Take this pill, and I can take you to the dining hall for some breakfast."

Heiji sighed as Kaito handed him the pill and helped him in the wheelchair. "Kuroba, I don't need all this extra help!" But Kaito insisted that he should help and took him to the dining hall, leaving Shinichi alone to get his thoughts straight.

"Wait here while I get you your food," Kaito told the Osakan detective. Hearing a quiet thanks, Kaito smiled and piled a plate with food before placing it in front of Heiji. "Eat up!"

Heiji's characteristic grin slowly spread across his face. "Man, I sure owe ya one, Kuroba!" He began to eat until a thought struck him. "Oi, ya may wanna go back an' see Kudou; he didn't look so good earlier."

Kaito nodded and stood up. "I noticed that too, so I'll go check on him. Make sure to come _right back_ when you're done, okay?" Heiji agreed, and Kaito ran back to the bedroom, where Shinichi was locked in the bathroom and…crying? He knocked on the door. "Shin-shin, are you alright?"

Shinichi gasped. "G-go away, Kaito; they'll come and take you!"

Kaito huffed and sat on the floor. "Shin-shin, the bedroom door will be locked to anyone we don't know; we'll be okay!"

"No!" Shinichi cried. "That won't help anything; we'll just fall into their trap!"

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin, what do you mean? Please come out and tell me!"

There was a long period of silence before the bathroom door slowly opened, revealing a pale and trembling Shinichi with red-rimmed eyes. "Kaito…" He tightly hugged the magician. "I fear that this attacker may be different than the one we're after."

Kaito felt the color drain from his face. "W-what do you mean? Do you have proof?"

Shinichi hesitated. "Well, it just seems odd to me how this serial murderer would be foolish enough to let the _nishi no meitantei_ Hattori Heiji go free after being held in captivity for two days. That's why I think we're dealing with a whole different person here, and you-know-who is somewhere else killing off his targets. He's _way_ too smart to do something dumb like that; I know better."

Kaito frowned as the two of them sat on the bed. "I guess you do have a point there, but…" He stopped himself as a thought came to him. "Hey, is it possible for Heiji-kun to have seen his kidnapper?"

"Oi, are ya talkin' 'bout me?" Heiji rolled his wheelchair into the room, a grin on his face. "And I can tell by the tone that it ain't happy! Ya should be gettin' ready instead o' talkin' this sad stuff; the ship stops in half-an-hour!"

Kaito immediately jumped up and started to get ready, but Shinichi remained sitting as his mind went in ten thousand directions. It had never crossed his mind that Heiji could have seen this person, and he knew his curiosity would annoy him unless he asked about it.

"Oi, Kudou!" Heiji waved a hand in front of Shinichi's face, making him jump.

"S-sorry, Hattori; I just have something that's bothering me…" He paused to look Heiji in the eye. "Hattori, answer me honestly. Did you see your kidnapper's face?"

Even if Heiji's expression remained calm, his eyes were filled with fear. "Nah, I don't think I did… but I'll admit I was pretty beat up an' couldn't think o' anythin' but stayin' alive."

Shinichi knew instantly that he was lying, but he didn't want to push it and merely apologized for asking before quickly getting ready.

Ten minutes later, they were out the door and in the lobby with most of the other passengers. Confirming his suspicion, Shinichi noticed that Heiji was averting his gaze from the rest of the crowd.

"Hey, look!" Kaito whispered to the detectives as he pointed into the crowd. "There's that nurse from a few days ago! I wonder why she's leaving?"

"Probably to get more motion sickness pills," a voice answered. It was Koichi, who wore a slight smirk under his sunglasses and large hooded coat. "I heard that almost half of the passengers are seasick on a daily basis."

Shinichi nodded. "That makes sense then as to why the dining hall isn't packed during meal times."

"Hey, aren't you that one guy that helped Shinichi to the infirmary that one time?" Kaito interrupted, eyeing Koichi. "Why do you always wear that huge coat, anyways? It's going to be _hot_ this afternoon!"

Koichi's smirk turned to a grin. "I guess you could say I'm uncomfortable about my appearance. Now, if you'll excuse me." He gave a quick bow and exited through the just-opened door leading to the Port of Nagoya.

"Alright, let's go; I bet Neechan an' Kazuha are already halfway there!" Heiji put a smile back on his face and led Shinichi and Kaito out of the ship and at the port's entrance.

"So where are we going, Hattori?" Shinichi inquired. "From what you said, it seems like there's already been a plan set up."

Heiji chuckled. "You bet! It was the girls' idea, but I liked it. We're goin' to the Oasis 21 fer some ice skatin'!"

Kaito looked to Heiji, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Um, isn't there any other place to go here in Nagoya that _isn't_ an ice skating rink?"

Heiji quirked an eyebrow. "What, are ya afraid o' ice or somethin'?"

Kaito hesitated. "Well, I'm just not very good at it…"

Shinichi was surprised; after all, this _was_ Kaitou Kid, who was known for his balance. "I can help you if you want," he offered. "I don't think you've tried it very much, have you?"

Kaito huffed. "I haven't, but that doesn't mean I'll ever be good at it." They continued their way to the Oasis 21 with a downcast magician trailing behind.

"Oi, what took ya guys so long?" Kazuha and Ran were waiting for them at the rink's entrance, one patient and the other not so much. "'Cuz I know ya weren't sleepin' or anythin'!"

Kaito gave a shy smile. "It was my fault; I was trying to see if we could go somewhere else since I'm not so good at this…"

Kazuha quirked an eyebrow. "Well, that's what practice is fer, right? C'mon then!" She grabbed Kaito by the arm and led everyone inside. "Okay, you three can wait over there while Ran-chan an' I buy yer shoes." She pointed to a long, wooden bench.

Heiji immediately left, but Shinichi could sense something off about Kaito. "What's up?" he whispered while wrapping an arm around Kaito's shoulders. "Are you scared of doing this?"

Kaito looked away. "No, it's not that…"

Shinichi smirked. "Ah, so you're afraid of falling and embarrassing yourself. Kaito, I said I would help you, didn't I?"

Kaito let out a long sigh. "Fine, fine…" They both sat on the bench beside Heiji and waited for the girls to come back with four pairs of skates.

"Sorry, but I probably need to stay behind with Akemi," she explained. "Here ya go!"

Overall, Kaito felt it went fairly well judging with how bad he was…is, he added to himself with a grimace. He was really sore after falling on the ice seventeen times, but he felt he got a _little_ better. Shinichi had been beside him the whole time and teaching as many techniques as he knew, but they wouldn't help the klutz magician. Everyone was now seated in a fancy restaurant, and Kaito started out the window as his mind processed what all happened at the rink with a thoughtful expression on his face and chin rested in one hand.

Shinichi watched Kaito with a grin. "Well, it looks like he enjoyed himself today, didn't he?" he muttered to Heiji.

Heiji chuckled. "Yeah, I guess he did."

Quietly laughing, a person stepped away from the others, a sly smile on their face. _Well well, I suppose things can change rather quickly in life… Let's see how long these façades can be kept up._

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Once again, another note...but I think I'm starting to like making these. So Kaito went ice-skating because I wanted him to have fun (I was considering an aquarium...ouch). Also, Heiji's safely recovered! But who in the world was dumb enough to let the nishi no meitantei go after capturing him...? Find out soon! Thanks for all the support!  
_**


	24. Surprise 23: Piling Up?

Surprise Twenty-Three: Piling Up?

After the filling dinner and more sightseeing, everyone returned to the ship for another few days of sailing to their next destination: Osaka. Shinichi was worn out from doing so much, so he decided to retire to his room.

"I'm beat," he mumbled with a yawn. "I think I'll go to bed early. What about you, Kaito? Are you coming with or staying to play cards?"

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. "I'll probably play a couple rounds of cards first. Try and get some good sleep!" He waved before joining the others, and Shinichi wearily made his way to the bedroom.

 _Yeah right, like I'll get good sleep…_ He flopped into bed but found himself in the same situation as he was in the afternoon. Groaning, he sat at the desk and worked on the case until he finally felt tired. However, he was so tired that he couldn't even get to bed—he merely laid his head on the desk and fell into a doze.

As for Kaito, he played cards well into the evening until the others were ready to call it a night. "Well, I think that's enough cards. Kuroba, ya probably need to go mother Kudou anyway, right?" Heiji patted Kaito on the back.

Kaito smiled. "Yes, I probably should. 'Night, everyone!" He happily made his way back to the room and couldn't decide whether to laugh or sigh in frustration. His _Tantei-kun_ was lightly sleeping on the desk with a notebook beside him opened to a certain page. He decided to read the top, which said _What's going on with me?_. Kaito, feeling worried, shook Shinichi without thinking. "Shin-shin, are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Shinichi stirred. "I'm okay…" he slurred softly, turning to face Kaito as his eyes partially opened. "I'm just sleepy…"

Kaito laughed and picked up Shinichi. "Sleep then, and we can talk more tomorrow." Carefully lying him in bed, Kaito laid beside him and enveloped him in a hug before falling in a deep sleep.

Unfortunately, Shinichi remained in a doze for a short while until being awoken by a terrifying nightmare. He screamed and sat up in a pool of sweat and trembling immensely. Surprisingly, Kaito did not wake or even react in the slightest. Shinichi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "This will be a long night, won't it?" He took a moment to calm himself before going back to the desk and turning on the lamp. He spent the rest of the night writing notes until he could no longer fight sleep.

"What time is it? Hopefully, I can sleep for a bit…" He looked at the alarm clock and cursed. It was already 8:06, which meant he could only nap for a bit before Kaito would wake him from his "good sleep." He yawned and settled back into bed, falling into a light slumber.

An hour later, said magician awoke from his sleep feeling re-energized. "Ah, that was great sleep!" He turned to his side and smiled sadly upon seeing the dozing Shinichi. Upon further inspection, however, Kaito noticed sweat glistening on the detective's forehead. He grabbed a thermometer, and Shinichi did indeed have a high fever. After giving him a pill, Kaito chose to wake him. "Shin-shin, are you alright?"

Shinichi moaned and opened his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked in a whisper.

Kaito grew concerned when seeing how bloodshot Shinichi's eyes were. "Shin-shin, are you okay? You don't look so good."

Shinichi waved it off with a yawn as he slowly sat up, inducing a dizzy spell that made him wince. "I'm fine, Kaito…"

Kaito placed a steadying arm on Shinichi's shoulder as he began to sway. "Oi, you're not okay! Do you need me to get the nurse?"

Since his thoughts were so foggy due to the high fever, Shinichi chose to relent and nodded his head. "Please go get her…" His eyes widened, and he put a hand to his mouth as he coughed up blood. Silently cursing to himself, he passed out in Kaito's arms.

"Shin-shin!" Kaito blanched and began to tremble. Slowly lying Shinichi back on the bed, he pulled out his phone and dialed Heiji's number.

"Whaddya want, Kuroba? Ya know we were all up late last night!" Heiji sounded like he just woke up and in a bad mood at that.

Kaito gave a quick apology. "I know you're tired, but I need some help with Shinichi. Could you get the nurse and come here please?"

Heiji cursed. "What happened this time?"

Kaito hesitated. "W-well, I'm not sure. All I know is that something is wrong with him; he just passed out after coughing up blood, and I think he's been having trouble sleeping again."

Heiji huffed. "Alright then. You stay with 'im, an' I'll get the nurse fer ya." Heiji hung up, leaving Kaito with a mix of relief and fear.

After a few minutes of Kaito pacing the room, there was a knock on the door. "Finally!" He sighed in relief and opened the door, where Heiji and the nurse were waiting. "Hurry, he's over there on the bed!"

The nurse rushed to Shinichi's bedside and began examining him, and Heiji stayed beside Kaito. "Oi, are ya okay?" he whispered, noticing the tremor that shook Kaito's frame. "Ya know Kudou will be fine in a little while!"

Kaito closed his eyes and folded his arms in front of his chest. "We don't know that for sure, Heiji-kun," he quietly replied. "All we know is that he's going through lots of trouble right now and can't seem to deal with it."

Heiji gave a comforting smile and patted Kaito on the back. "If we think like that, he probably won't get better! That's why ya always think toward the happy side o' things!" He turned to the nurse. "Oi, how is he?"

The nurse stood up, a clipboard in hand. "It appears that he's so short on sleep that he's become ill. I propose you give him this and make sure he's resting plenty." She held up a pill bottle and gave it to Kaito. "We can't really do anything else, but this should help. If not, let me know, and I can get a helicopter to fly here and take him to a hospital."

Kaito was so relieved that he hugged the nurse. "Thank you so much!"

The nurse laughed. "No problem." She waved a bit and left.

Heiji quirked an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oi, Kuroba, can I see that fer a sec? I wanna see what she's givin' Kudou."

Kaito nodded and handed it to the Osakan detective. "Here, you can do what you want; I'm going out to take a walk on the deck for a little while."

Heiji stopped Kaito before he could leave. "Oi, make sure to be careful, okay? Kudou would freak out if somethin' happened to ya, especially now with what just happened to me…"

Kaito could sense pain in Heiji's voice. "Alright, I'll lock the door on my way out and make sure to let you know if something happens. If I'm not back by lunchtime, come find me." With a light hug and thanks, he quickly left the room.

Heiji watched him go with concern in his expression before remembering the bottle. Twisting the cap open, he shook out a pill and examined it. "It looks like…" He gasped and threw it to the floor. "No way am I givin' that weak crap to Kudou!"

Shinichi stirred. "Hattori? What are you doing here?" His azure and bloodshot eyes slowly fluttered open. "Is something wrong?"

Heiji chuckled and sat at his friend's bedside, gently rubbing his back. "Nah, I'm just here makin' sure yer doin' okay while Kuroba takes a little break from motherin' ya."

Shinichi bolted upright, his behavior and actions in a frenzy. "Wait, where is he? Don't tell me he's…?"

Heiji ruffled Shinichi's hair with a smirk. "Oi, don't worry yer pretty head over it; he'll be fine! Just get back to…" He stopped as he realized something. "Hang on, can ya tell me why yer actin' so weird, Kudou? This is nothin' like ya!"

Shinichi turned away from Heiji to stare out the window. "I-it's nothing, really," he spoke softly. "I've just been thinking about some things, that's all."

Heiji quirked an eyebrow. "Kudou, I know yer lyin' to me. In case ya didn't know, I'm not stupid! Now what's really goin' on with ya?" He moved closer to Shinichi and wrapped an arm around him. "I'm not gonna make fun o' ya or anythin'!"

Shinichi wasn't sure what to do. He kind of did want to tell someone what was going on in his head but at the same time didn't. Eventually, he chose to do the first. Leaning his head on Heiji's shoulder, he let out a deep sigh. "I guess I could tell you," he slowly whispered. And so he did. He explained his immense fear that was making sleep or any feeling of relief impossible. He told his theory of this murderer being someone that isn't Gin yet someone close to them.

Heiji was utterly speechless. After a moment of silence, he started asking questions. "But Kudou, why are ya havin' fears like this again? Is it just 'cuz o' my kidnappin' recently, or is it somethin' bigger? An' on that note, who do ya think would possibly do that to us?"

Still using Heiji for support, Shinichi closed his eyes. "I'm not sure, Hattori; I guess I just have that feeling…" He paused for a moment. "Besides, you know who attacked you, don't you? You just don't want anyone else to know since you're scared of what could happen."

Heiji forced a laugh. "W-what are ya talkin' 'bout, Kudou? I think that fever's really gettin' to yer head!" He lied Shinichi down on the bed and began adjusting the covers. "Like I said, don't worry yer pretty little head 'bout it; it's not healthy!"

Shinichi turned on his side to look into Heiji's eyes. "Hattori…can you stay here while I rest for a bit? I don't feel safe alone."

Heiji chuckled. "Sure I can! An' ya probably need to sleep fer a while, so I won't bother ya unless it's an emergency."

Shinichi closed his eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Hattori." It took less than a minute for a deep sleep to overcome the detective, his expression showing fatigue even while sleeping.

Plopping in a chair at Shinichi's bedside, Heiji let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's taken care of. Now I just gotta wait 'til Kuroba comes back from his walk so I can deal with _that_ an' hopefully finish it fer good!"

X

"WHAT? No way; that can't be possible! Are ya sure, Kuroba?" Heiji bolted up from his chair, sending it to the floor.

Kaito, who looked really pale, gulped and nodded. "I saw those three there, and they told me to get you or him to come." He gestured to Shinichi, who was still deeply asleep and snoring. "Since he's finally asleep, would you mind going? You can find it pretty easily with the crowd that's starting to gather."

Heiji huffed. "Well, I suppose…but _seriously_ , why can't this guy just stop already?" He shook his head and muttered to himself as he left the room.

"Ah, thank goodness you're here, Hattori-kun!" Takagi and Sato both looked quite relieved to see Heiji arrive at the scene. "It seems Megure-keibu is seasick and can't come, so we don't really know what to do."

Heiji laughed. "Don't worry; I can handle it! Ya two can go look around for anythin' suspicious, an' I'm gonna check out the body."

The two officers agreed and began searching the room, and Heiji crouched by the body. It was a man of about forty, pretty large for his size, with what appeared to be a gunshot wound in the back. Heiji was curious as to how powerful this gun was, so he rolled the man over. "G-guys, get over here! Come look!" Heiji recoiled in shock and disgust when he saw it.

"What's up, Hattori-kun?" Sato stepped over to the body and gasped. "W-what?! How is this even possible? Takagi-kun, go report this to Megure-keibu!"

Takagi nodded and fled the room before he could faint.

"But Hattori-kun, how do you propose this happened?" Sato inquired, keeping her gaze away from the scene before her. "And _why_ did this happen?"

Heiji put a hand to his chin. "Well, I'm guessin' that it's suffocation from bein' trapped under the man's body, but I dunno as to why. Maybe this guy's a real loony."

Sato frowned. "It's just so sad though; she looks quite young."

Heiji could only agree to that. "Well, _any_ murder is sad, ain't it? 'Cuz there ain't a good excuse on Earth fer killin' somebody." He looked closely at the young corpse and found something odd. "What's this?" He opened her left hand, which was tightly clenched in a fist, and pulled out a small tin can of mints. "That's odd. Why would she have that?"

Sato paled. "Hattori-kun, do you think it could be…?"

Heiji merely shrugged. "There's a chance o' that since her other hand is all the way spread out…" He looked at the man's hand and gasped. "Oi, he has one finger up! Hang on…" His mind slowly went through possibilities until it hit the one. "Bingo! But we don't have—wait a minute, yes, we do!"

Sato quirked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Hattori-kun? Are you saying you finally solved this case?"

Heiji grinned. "Yup! I know who the killer is and have evidence to prove it!" He pulled out his cell phone in excitement and dialed Shinichi's number.

"What's up, Heiji-kun? Did you find something already?" Kaito answered, and it sounded as if he was just woken.

"Ah, did I wake ya? Sorry 'bout that. I was just gonna say that I finally figured it out!"

Kaito almost dropped the phone. "W-wait, seriously? You finally know who the killer is? Then is this case finally over?"

Before Heiji could reply, Shinichi's voice cut in. "Hattori knew who it was long ago but didn't have the evidence to prove it besides what he saw. I'm betting now that some sort of message from the victim leads to the person, correct?" Even if he sounded exhausted, his voice was still full of amusement.

Heiji chuckled. "Yup, yer right on the dot, Kudou! I'm callin' my dad right now since we're gonna hit Osaka day after tomorrow an' let 'im know there's a serial murderer on board. Fer now, we all need to be careful an' keep our guard up. I'll be back in a bit as soon as I'm done with that an' tellin' Sato-han everythin'." He hung up and told Sato who the killer was.

Sato blanched. "B-but Hattori-kun, is that enough?"

Heiji gave a reassuring smile. "If I, the _nishi no meitantei_ , saw it, then I don't see why they'd think I was lyin' or somethin'! Besides, the dyin' message says so!"

Sato frowned. "Okay then, I'll go tell Takagi-kun and Megure-keibu that you solved it…um, I'll also tell Takagi-kun to help me guard you all until that person is in custody; we don't know what could happen."

Dialing his dad's number, Heiji thanked her and began walking back to Shinichi's room.

"What is it, Son? You know I'm working right now."

"I know, _Oyaji_ , but I'll need some o' yer men at the port day after tomorrow to catch a serial murderer!"

Hattori Heizo let out a long sigh. "Heiji, how many were killed before you solved it?"

Heiji grimaced. "Four."

The long period of silence that followed made Heiji think his father was about to lecture him. However, he didn't. "Well, at least it wasn't more. I'll have Otaki and a few of his men come and take care of it." He paused. "Heiji, whatever you do, _don't_ be stupid and heroic; let the police handle it."

Heiji's eyes widened. " _Oyaji_ …" He was deeply touched that his father (actually) cared so much about him. A grin slowly made its way on his face. "I guess ya knew I wanted to, but I'll be careful this time!" He hung up and ran the rest of the way back to Shinichi and Kaito's bedroom.

Shinichi rolled his eyes as Heiji slowly opened the door. "Wow, one look at you and I can instantly know you figured it out! Can you tell me what you found at the scene? I need a little practice."

Heiji laughed and sat on the sofa. "Well, there were actually two bodies; a little girl was buried underneath the big guy. The girl had a little can o' mints in her left hand an' her right one had all the fingers extended outward. As fer the guy, he had one finger pointin' out."

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. "Well, it could be possible for the guy's hand to signify that the girl's means five…" He froze as realization hit. "N-no way… _kango!_ "

Heiji nodded. "Yup, that's the one."

Kaito paled. "That explains why you wanted to see _that_ , but what did you do about it?"

Heiji smirked. "Don't worry; that's already been taken care of! All we got left is settin' our trap…"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Okay, so cheesy Japanese sort-of code to solve that I couldn't make any better considering the fact that I don't know Japanese very well. I may consider using English tricks since it's much easier to work with in some ways, and I can make them more creative than 'kango,' with 'kan' being a can of mints and 'go' being the Japanese translation to five, hence the girl having all five fingers extended and the man with only one to signify her fingers being the clue. I tried my best though... (Virtual high-five for those that actually figure it out before I reveal it in the next chapter! But please don't spoil anything in the reviews; I would hate deleting your feedback.)  
**_

 _ **Since I just enjoy blabbing on and on, I guess I can mention this game I found in the back of a store. 'The Testament of Sherlock Holmes' for the PS3...well. It's a rather intriguing game thus far, and I seem to have a ways to go! I really love the whole atmosphere of being Holmes and Watson while solving murder cases, plotting prison breaks...oops, I should stop spoiling what happens. But really, if you love detective games/series (especially Sherlock Holmes), I think you'd enjoy this game!**_

 _ **Thanks for all the continued support; I really appreciate it! The respect/appreciation you guys have for my work makes me want to actually continue and finish it! :)**_


	25. Surprise 24: Identity?

Surprise Twenty-Four: Identity?

The plan was a success; the culprit was caught and taken to the Osaka station for interrogation. However, it was quite the odd circumstance: all the Osakan officers in charge of interrogation were sent home due to the late arrival of the cruise ship, so Takagi and Sato were chosen by Inspector Megure to fill in since it would help that they were there while everything was going on. Heiji and Kazuha decided not to go so they could fill out reports of the incidents. Shinichi chose to go and watch from a one-way window since he was feeling something odd about the culprit—something oddly familiar.

"Shin-shin, you know you don't _have_ to go!" Kaito pleaded with him at the port. "Since the rest of the cruise was cancelled, we can just go home!"

Shinichi gave a distant smile. "But I do have to, Kaito. I have to know _why_ all of this happened." He placed a hand on the magician's shoulder. "I know you probably want to come with and make sure I'm safe, but that place is full of officers that can protect me! Besides, the culprit won't even know I'm there."

Kaito gave a pouty face. "But Shin-shin, where will I go then?"

Shinichi handed Kaito his wallet. "Here, use some of this to get a hotel room nearby. Text me the room number, and I'll make sure to let you know when I'm on my way back."

Kaito suddenly hugged Shinichi. "I'll let you go, but _please_ be careful! Never be alone; have someone take you to the hotel, okay?"

Shinichi removed himself from the embrace with a quiet laugh. "Kaito, I'll be okay!" With a small wave, he was on his way to the station.

Five minutes later, the rain started. Shinichi cursed as he pulled up his jacket hood. "Great, the one time I don't have an umbrella; Kaito's going to have a fit!" He quickened his pace and arrived at the station, where Takagi was waiting for him at the entrance.

"Ah, Kudou-kun!" Takagi handed him a warm towel. "Hurry and dry off; the interrogation is starting in a couple minutes."

Shinichi thanked him and did so while following to the secret viewing room. He quietly sat in one of the chairs and noticed he was shivering.

" _Ano_ , Kudou-kun, are you sure you want to do this? You could just watch the recording tomorrow morning." Takagi eyed him with concern.

Shinichi shook his head. "I need to see this in person, Takagi-keiji. I'm not sick anyways, just a bit cold from the rain."

Takagi could see he wouldn't change the detective's mind, so he relented and made his way to the interrogation room.

"Ah, there you are!" Sato looked relieved to see Takagi. "I tried to get her to talk, but she isn't saying a word."

"That's because _he_ wasn't here yet," the culprit said, pointing to Takagi. "I knew you needed two officers for this kind of thing."

Takagi cleared his throat. "Alright, so let's make this simple… Do you admit to killing four people on the S.S. Akai during its maiden voyage?"

The culprit grinned. "'Course I do! Why wouldn't I admit to killing those nameless fools?"

Sato's head jerked up from her notebook. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you didn't know the victims?"

The culprit burst out laughing. "No! Why would I? They were just my test subjects for some new experiments!"

Takagi intervened. "Um, why did you pose as a nurse? Was it just to find vulnerable people for your targets, or was it something more?"

What the culprit said in English made the hairs on Shinichi's neck stand. " _A secret makes a woman woman_."

Sato's eyes sharpened. She remembered hearing that some time ago but couldn't place when. "Who are you?" she suddenly asked. "We both know you're no nurse!"

The culprit gave a quick bow in her chair. "Ah, it seems I have not introduced myself properly. I am Marissa, a member of a…ahem, certain syndicate. I know you _policemen_ recently discovered us and our intention, so you probably know of my heritage. My father was Gin, and he gave me the name Marissa. My proper name is 'Sweet Marissa' after the alcohol, but that's beside the point." She giggled. "He was the one that gave me that little _twist_ , if you know what I mean…"

Takagi frowned. "Then were these victims killed in the name of your father?"

Marissa shook her head, a smile still on her face. "Nope! I haven't heard from him in a long time, so I killed them because I was bored…and I kinda wanted to lure him out again."

Sato quirked an eyebrow. "Didn't anyone tell you that he was killed by the cops?"

Marissa began to laugh again. "You really think my father is dead? That's like saying a magician is dead after not appearing out of the water tank after five minutes! He's much smarter than you _policemen_." She folded her arms in front of her chest. "I don't think you have any more questions for me, so you should take me back to my cell."

Sato began to move towards Marissa when Takagi spoke up. "Actually, I have one question for you, Marissa-san. Why do you kill people? Just because your father did it doesn't mean you should!"

Marissa looked surprised upon hearing this question, but a grin returned to her face. "Well, I just wanted to, that's all. Is that an adequate answer, _keiji-san_?" Hearing no response from Takagi, she started to maniacally laugh as Sato led her out of the room.

Takagi wanted to just stand there and think about what just happened, but he knew Shinichi was there too and heard everything. He made his way to the secret viewing room, where Shinichi was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands and trembling but otherwise pretty calm. "Kudou-kun, are you okay?" He couldn't help but ask.

Shinichi looked up and smirked. "I-I'm okay, Takagi-keiji; I'm just a little surprised." He began to cough. "Um, would you mind driving me to my hotel? Kaito would have a fit if I walked out in the rain again."

Takagi gave a reassuring smile. "Sure I can! Come with me." He led Shinichi to the back parking lot and started one of the police cars. "I doubt they'll mind me using this for a bit anyway."

Shinichi thanked him and climbed in the passenger seat. After sending a text to what appeared to be Kaito, a mask seemed to remove itself from his face as he let his thoughts wander.

Takagi kept glancing at Shinichi uncertainly, as if considering something. Finally, he sighed. "Kudou-kun, I know you may not like me asking this, but who is this 'Gin' person? I've heard quite a bit about him recently concerning you and can't help but feel concerned."

Shinichi tensed, his eyes wide. After a moment, he relaxed. "I don't mind since I know you're curious, but it's a rather long and detailed story…" First, he explained how Gin was the one that poisoned him and made him shrink to Conan.

Takagi nodded. "Okay, so I get that he's part of that syndicate that shrunk you. But does he have a reputation or something? I noticed a long while ago that Jodie-san would freak out at the mention of that name and one other, but I don't remember."

"Vermouth." The way Shinichi said it sent shivers down Takagi's spine. "She knows quite a bit too, but I don't know much about her except that she was…" He paused with a grimace. " _Really_ interested with me. I think she knew about me a long time ago, but she decided to not tell the others for some reason."

Takagi began to process his thoughts. "Okay, so that's Vermouth. What about Gin? Is he really smart or something?"

Shinichi huffed. "Yeah, you could say that. He was really close to catching me numerous times, but he apparently had one weakness that would have been helpful to know of ages ago… You see, he doesn't remember the names or faces of his victims, so I probably could have gotten away without having to hide like I did. Then again, he was smart enough to be a detective that rivaled my father; he noticed _everything_."

Takagi gave a low whistle. "That's some guy to have to deal with…" His voice trailed off as he took a glance at Shinichi, who was staring out the window deep in thought. _So that's the true enemy that he faced for two years._ He kept quiet for the remainder of the drive until he parked in front of the hotel. "Alright, Kudou-kun, here you are! If you don't mind, I'm coming with you."

Shinichi silently nodded in agreement and led Takagi to room 304, where Kaito was waiting with the door open. "You're back!" Kaito hugged him and gasped when feeling how cold he was. "Ugh, you ran in the rain earlier, didn't you? Get inside and change clothes while I speak to Takagi-keiji."

"Um, you may want to be careful around Kudou-kun," Takagi whispered a warning. "What happened in that interview room may make him panicky for a while."

Kaito let out a long sigh. "I figured as much." He turned to Takagi and bowed deeply. "Thank you for driving him home; I know he can be a lot to put up with."

Takagi smiled. "No, it was nothing! Besides, I've dealt with him for quite a long time—ever since his first murder he solved." He laughed at the memory. "Even if Megure-keibu was infuriated with this boy in our scene, I think he realized how helpful he'd become in the future." He paused. "Kuroba-kun, please keep a close eye on Kudou-kun and make sure he's safe. You're probably the only one besides maybe Ran-san that can hear what he really thinks and feels."

Kaito snickered. "Yeah, he may be a handful sometimes, but he's becoming easier by the day!" He stopped as a thought struck him. "Takagi-keiji, you worry about him, don't you? I remember on the ship Sato-keiji was mentioning that you were working extra to help him and Heiji-kun on the case since they couldn't do anything."

Takagi gave a shy nod. "I can't help but worry when seeing how much he has to go through." He smirked. "That's why you need to be careful with him."

Kaito thanked him again before closing the door, turning back inside to see his _Tantei-kun_ sitting on the bed in pajamas rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Shin-shin, you look like you're about to fall asleep! You should be getting to bed; we have to leave early tomorrow morning."

Shinichi's eyes widened at the mere mention of sleep. "N-no, I need to stay up and work on things…" He tried to come up with an excuse, but Kaito wasn't dumb enough to believe it.

"Shin-shin, I know you don't have anything to do…except _go to sleep_." Kaito crossed his arms with a frown. "Can you at least try to sleep for me? If you relax, you'll be asleep before you know it!"

Shinichi shook his head, bile slowly rising up his throat. "I-I'll be okay…"

Kaito huffed. "Really, Shin-shin, you expect me to believe that?" He plopped in a chair at the bedside. "I am not moving from this chair until you are asleep." He paused. "Oi, Shin-shin, can you tell me what happened at that interview? I can tell that's what is bothering you."

Shinichi looked away from Kaito, an expression of fear obvious in his features. "I don't think I can, Kaito; it's just too much."

Kaito sighed. "Okay then, that's fine. But can you please try to sleep for me?" He stood up and helped Shinichi get settled into bed. "There, doesn't that feel better?" he whispered.

Shinichi's muscles began to loosen, and his eyes grew heavier. "It does feel pretty nice…" It took mere minutes for a deep sleep to creep upon the detective, relieving him of any fear or stress.

Kaito smiled and sat back down. " _Finally_ he falls asleep; I was worried that he would be up all night again!"

Just as Kaito was about to doze off, Shinichi's cell phone rang. Confused, the magician picked it up and turned it on to see who was calling. However, it was an unknown number. Kaito knew that Shinichi wasn't the kind of person to give out his number easily, so he hit answer. "Hello? Who is this?"

The voice laughed. "I should be asking _you_ that question. Why are you using someone else's phone?"

Kaito quirked an eyebrow. "Um, I'm his caretaker. If you want to talk to him, you'll have to wait since he just fell asleep. Do you want to leave a name or message?"

The voice didn't reply for a couple minutes. "Tell him to wait for my call at ten o'clock two nights from now and that he should be alone. Also, be sure to let him know that this is a very important situation that he should never take lightly."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: FINALLY we get some progress in this story! So the cruise ship mini-arc is over, and we'll get to bigger, better things in due time...well, I guess if I can finish this one part I'm writing currently (surprise 43, to be exact). On another note, all I want to say to you readers that are still reading this-besides a huuuuuge thanks-is that you should be remembering this woman called "Marissa." I can't really say why just yet, but trust me when I say that you need to remember her.  
**_

 _ **Speaking of Marissa, did you guys like that I made Gin have a daughter? I wasn't really sure what to do about the culprit, so that was the best I could come up with. If someone wants to make fan-art for her, I would gladly appreciate it. I picture her being tall and slim like her father with cold, black eyes and long, black hair with a silver streak in it. Also, I was going to call her something else that happened to be an alcohol consisting of Gin and Vermouth but thought some of you wouldn't really like that image...personally, I don't once I start thinking about it. Then again, Gin doesn't strike to me as the person to have a girlfriend let alone someone he'd have a kid with. Wait...did he literally RAISE a CHILD?**_

 _ **Oh well, I shouldn't be pondering this too far; I have better things to do like getting ready for All-State Band auditions on the 20th (I make these little messages a week in advance just because I feel like it). I also finished that Sherlock Holmes PS3 game, and it made me cry...and start reading the books finally. I've already read 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Sign of the Four,' and I just started 'The Hound of Baskerville.' I think the last one is my favorite so far just because it's so...out there.**_

 _ **[Woah, how long is this "little note?!" Also, do you guys even like me writing these at the end? I felt I should be interacting with my readers, and I like mentioning some things like the Sherlock Holmes things and giving slight hints as to what's coming soon... ;) ]**_


	26. Surprise 25: Mysterious Caller?

Surprise Twenty-Five: The Mysterious Caller?

Surprisingly, Shinichi slept deeply—so much that it took five minutes for Kaito to wake him up. "What is it?" Shinichi mumbled, still half-asleep. "Did something happen?"

Kaito snickered and ruffled his hair. "Of course not, _Tantei-kun_ , but we do need to get ready to fly home! Since I already packed up everything while you were sleeping, we can make it to the airport in time for the first flight!"

Shinichi groaned. "What time is it anyway?" He turned his gaze to the alarm clock as the numbers slowly came into focus. "4:43? Why so early, Kaito? Did you even sleep, or did you stay up all night?"

Kaito grinned as he hoisted up the two large duffel bags. "Well, we need to hurry onto the first flight so we can be home! And as for sleep, I'll rest for a bit on the plane." He gestured for Shinichi to follow.

Shinichi huffed and stood up, seeing he was already dressed. He followed Kaito to their rental car and couldn't stifle a long yawn. "Kaito, I don't get how you can stay up all night doing this and be just fine!"

Kaito laughed. "I can run on little to no sleep, but you can't. That's why we're both sleeping on the plane…" He paused as a thought struck him. "Speaking of which, doesn't your next term of school start soon?"

Shinichi gasped. "Yeah, it does; I forgot all about it! I think it starts in a week or so, so I'll have to adjust my sleep schedule and get an alarm set." He frowned. "Man, that's going to suck having homework, my regular cases, and this one…"

Kaito's expression grew concerned. "Do you think you'll be okay, or do you want me to call someone to help you with the cases?"

Shinichi smirked. "Nah, I'll be fine! I was just fine with all this last term, but it will be a bit difficult at first since I'm so used to sleeping as late as I need."

Kaito patted Shinichi on the back. "That's why I am going to keep you home if you feel unwell! I know you'll hate having to make up the work, but it will be for the best."

Shinichi's eyes widened a bit. "Kaito…"

Kaito put up a hand to interrupt. "Come on, we're at the airport!" Kaito pulled into the parking lot and got out to stretch. "Pretty soon, we'll be able to sleep for a while. You got everything you need?"

Shinichi lifted up his duffel bag, a smile on his face. "Yeah, I got it. Now we can get on the plane, and you can get some sleep." He shook his head. "I honestly don't get how someone can operate with no sleep; I wouldn't last ten minutes!"

Kaito wrapped an arm around Shinichi. "Well, it just depends on the person, I guess. Now let's get on the plane and get home; I'm exhausted!" Together they boarded the plane and placed their bags under their seat.

Shinichi couldn't help but laugh upon seeing Kaito yawning and rubbing his eyes. "You need to get some sleep, Kaito." He held out a blanket from his duffel bag. "Here, take this."

Kaito was too tired to notice the look of fear in Shinichi's eyes, so he gladly took the blanket and fell asleep almost instantly.

Shinichi sighed in relief. "I'm really thankful he didn't notice… I thought he would in an instant! Knowing me, I'm probably worrying for nothing anyway." He pulled out his phone and opened a particular app. Sure enough, it showed a conversation just over a minute long from the previous night. He clicked on it, and it played the recording of the conversation Kaito had.

As the plane took off toward Beika, most people were asleep and oblivious to the boy having something close to a panic attack. He threw the phone he was listening to in shock and rushed to the bathroom to hurl. No one noticed this boy, and no one knew he was actually Kudou Shinichi the detective or that he knew the voice on the phone—a voice he never wanted to hear again in his life.

Once said detective returned to his seat, he couldn't get rid of his nauseous and dizzy feeling, so he tried to distract himself. However, reading his detective books only made it worse. He quickly put them away and stared out the window. He knew he had a long way to go but was too scared to even consider sleeping it through.

Many hours later while Shinichi was deep in thought, Kaito awoke with a long yawn. "Well, that was some good rest!" He looked to Shinichi, and his expression saddened. "Oi, Shin-shin, are you okay? You don't look well."

Shinichi put his head in his hands and choked out a sob. "Of course I'm not; _that person_ called me! That means _that person_ is alive and knows where I live."

Kaito was stunned—if Shinichi was expressing his emotions so easily and openly, that meant it was serious. "Shin-shin, what's so bad about this person anyway? It just sounded like a good friend to me."

Shinichi began to tremble. " _Ba'arou_! Don't you know that _that person_ was and possibly still is one of _them_? There's a high chance that there's more than one still alive, and they're going to start looking for me if _that person_ knows where I live!"

Kaito's eyes widened. "But Shin-shin, how can you be sure they're still one of them? Maybe they decided to leave when the others were being killed to save themselves." He gently placed a hand on Shinichi's tense shoulder. "You shouldn't worry about it if you don't know if it will happen!"

Shinichi looked away from Kaito to hide the tears starting to form. "But what if I'm right, Kaito? What if they do start looking for me and realize I was foolish enough not to hide when I knew they were after me?" He buried his head between his knees.

Kaito smiled. "Shin-shin, can you please stop worrying about this…for me?" As the plane slowly descended to the Beika Airport, the magician was able to coax Shinichi to calm down enough to think logically.

Shinichi let out a deep sigh. "Thanks, Kaito, I really needed that."

Kaito snickered. "Don't you feel better now that you can think straight?" He ruffled Shinichi's hair before grabbing the two duffel bags. "As for what you were freaking out about, you shouldn't worry about it until that person calls you, 'kay?"

Shinichi thanked him again, and they raced each other back to the house, which was just the way it was when they left. "We're finally back…" A yawn escaped his throat, making his cheeks glow red.

Kaito grinned. "Well, my _Tantei-kun_ , I propose that you go to bed since you didn't sleep at all on the plane." With the flick of his wrist, a small pill appeared in his hand. "Take this; it was another pill made by Scientist-san to help you sleep since she figured you would need it eventually with all of the nightmares and such."

Shinichi hesitated for a moment before taking the pill and swallowing it. He put a hand to his head and swayed. "Wow, this pill sure works fast…" He crumpled into Kaito's arms as the lethargy grew too strong for him to handle.

Kaito laughed. "I guess Scientist-san wanted you to fall asleep right away!" He carried the weakening Shinichi to bed and began adjusting the covers. "Please sleep as long as you need, Shin-shin; you need to make sure you're well-rested by the time school starts again!"

X

Even if Kaito kept telling him not to worry, Shinichi was tense and on edge the entire day. He tried his best to not show it, but Kaito could instantly tell. He tried to make Shinichi feel better by playing card games and chess, but the detective was not showing signs of improvement. Eventually, the clock struck ten, and Kaito was continually yawning.

"Man, I should go to bed!" Kaito stood up to stretch. "I think I'm done for the night, so please go to bed when you're tired, okay?"

As soon as Kaito left, Shinichi hurriedly pulled out his phone just in time for the phone to ring. He pressed answer and held it up to his ear.

"Well, it turns out you're alive and well after all, _Cool Guy_." The familiar voice gave a hearty chuckle. "I was almost considering that you were dead after all with what I heard happen."

Shinichi took a few seconds to pull himself together and regain his composure. "So what do you want with me? Are you still after me and that scientist that made the apoptoxin?"

The voice burst out laughing. "My, I thought you were smarter than that, _Cool Guy_! I just want to give you a bit of help on this case that seems to be troubling you."

Shinichi's eyes narrowed, his thoughts beginning to process. "How did you know about that? And how much do you know?"

The voice sighed. "I know quite a bit, _Silver Bullet-kun_. I know there was a serial murder on a ship you were on recently, but that was unrelated since it was that Marissa brat…" They made a grunt in disgust. "From what I heard, there's been two murders done by Gin. Is this correct?"

Shinichi agreed, not catching on. "He seemed to have caused those two from what has been presented along with a few sightings…"

The voice gasped. "There we go! So are you admitting to having seen Gin recently?"

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, I saw him not too long ago on top of a building in Osaka just before the second victim was discovered. Are you saying there's something odd about it? I get that Gin's not the one to let himself be seen that easily, but…" He stopped himself as it finally struck him. "No way! Are you saying that it isn't Gin after all?!"

The voice hesitated for a moment. "Yes," the voice whispered, "I am positive that it is not Gin. The only possibility is that it's someone who has a grudge against you and knows about what happened to you so they can use your fear to your advantage. However, there is another—it could somehow be a member like Marissa that survived the attack of the organization."

"Like yourself?" Shinichi couldn't help but retort. "Why should I trust you? You may have kept my identity a secret from _them_ when you found out, but that doesn't make you any less of a bad guy. You still killed people, Vermouth."

"You have a good point, _Cool Guy_." You could almost hear Vermouth's smile. "But I never was as heartless as some like Gin. Besides, hasn't everyone killed someone—literally or figuratively?"

Shinichi froze as painful memories pounded in his head. He wanted to yell at her and hang up, but he knew it wouldn't help anything. "Shut up," he muttered instead. "Anyone who kills for pleasure like yourself is heartless no matter what."

Vermouth huffed. "Do you want my help with this case or not?"

Shinichi thought for a moment. He knew she would be helpful with her areas of expertise, but would he really want a member of _them_ to help when she couldn't even be trusted? Eventually, he chose to give her a chance. "Fine," he relented. "What do you plan on doing?"

Vermouth chuckled. "Well, I suppose I should keep a close eye on you over the next few days and make sure nothing happens. After that, we can speak together and come up with a master plan to see if I'm wrong or not about Gin." With that, she bid farewell (for now) and hung up on the speechless detective.

After a few minutes of silence, Shinichi sighed. "I guess things have become interesting, haven't they?" He quietly laughed to himself and was about to leave the library when he noticed something that shouldn't have been there. "Kaito, why were you eavesdropping?" he asked in an exasperated tone.

Avoiding eye contact and blushing a bit, Kaito shyly appeared in the doorway. "Sorry, Shin-shin, but I've been worried about you all day and remembered that the phone call would happen soon, so…"

Shinichi rubbed his temples. "Alright, I get that…" He paused. "How much were you able to hear? Did you hear what she wanted?"

Kaito nodded. "I was only able to hear you talking, but I think I have a good idea of what's going to happen."

Shinichi sat on a sofa and gestured for Kaito to do the same. "It'd probably be best if I inform you now then what's going on."

Kaito could see how fatigued Shinichi looked. "Are you sure? We could just wait until tomorrow morning since you haven't slept well in a while. Besides…" He let out a yawn. "I'm pretty tired myself!"

Shinichi swung his legs onto the sofa to get comfier. "If you're that tired, I can tell you tomorrow; I have things to do before going to bed."

Kaito eyed him with a hint of concern. "Okay, but please don't stay up too late!" With a quick hug, he left for bed.

Shinichi leaned back and closed his eyes once Kaito was gone. "Thank goodness he left…" He took a moment to lie on the sofa and relax before getting back up and walking to his dad's office. He searched through the files for anything involving the syndicate, but nothing could be found. With a long yawn, he turned on his dad's computer and opened his email.

 _To: Jodie Starling_

 _From: Kudou Shinichi_

 _Subject: You-Know-Who_

 _It's Shinichi. I need your help with a case I'm working on, and I'm afraid it has to deal with them again. I wouldn't normally be asking you or the other FBI members, but I need copies of the files on Gin and Vermouth. I'll understand if they're confidential and I can't see them, but it would be helpful if I could. Please get back to me as soon as you can._

 _Thanks,_

 _Kudou Shinichi_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Finally we hear more about that person! I am really excited to create more of a story there, but let's hope I can word it right...let's just say I've been having a lot of trouble writing over the past few weeks with all the stress of school, All-State Band auditions, and whatever else decides to show up (but at least All-State went kinda well!) I did finish the flashback thingy in surprises 43 and 44, and I'm pretty content with it._  
**

 ** _On another note, I made a poll on my profile for you guys to vote for my next project's plot. I was kinda surprised when I already had one idea in an HOUR of me posting it (thanks, Meitantei Clark!) But I must add that while I will for sure take note of all your ideas, I may not use them at all or not until a later time since my goal is to make a fanfiction that my cousin can read since I got them into Conan almost a year ago (they're not into yaoi or supernatural things like Akako, vampires, werewolves, etc.). You can give me ideas that are KaiShin or ones with things like vampires or ghosts (hint hint), but I probably won't use them for a little while.  
_**

 ** _Also, since I was sick with a cold for the past couple days, I watched half of Durarara again...my gosh, I forgot how beautiful the artstyle, story, and OST are! I really hope I can get my cousin into that one too since it's really psychological and all that like Conan (ya know, except for Celty...) I may write a fanfic about DRRR, but we'll see depending on what you guys want and if I can find that kind of time to really watch it and to write a good story._**

 ** _Again, thanks for all the support you've been giving me; we're almost at 10K views!_**

 ** _P.S. To "MissingApostrophe," I don't know if I want to answer your question...but I am happy that you're enjoying my story. All I can really say is that some of the upcoming events are going to be...shall we say, interesting. ;)_**


	27. Surprise 26: A New Student?

_**Reminder from the author: Okay, I know this is really weird for those of you that have been keeping up with me every week and reading my end notes discussing things from Sherlock Holmes to Conan's 21st movie to All-State Band (which I sadly did not make this year), but I just want to remind you awesome readers that the poll is still up and will remain that way for as long as I need to in order to get a fair answer. Just go to my account page, and you'll see it at the top. Thanks for the two people that have already given me their answer; I really enjoy getting opinions from you guys on what you want to see next! Anyway, that's enough of me rambling; let's begin the adventure of Shinichi in college! And don't worry for those that are wondering if Kaito gets a moment where Shinichi has to save him...I will say there is something interesting coming relatively soon. ;)**_

* * *

Surprise Twenty-Six: A New Student?

The next two weeks were a blur to Shinichi. Before he realized it, it was already the day before school started again. He knew Kaito was worrying since he was getting little sleep and always felt on edge. But Kaito didn't know about all of Shinichi's stresses, the new nightmares, or the fact that Jodie had never contacted about secret files. All he knew was that Shinichi was slowly isolating himself, and he wouldn't allow it.

"Shin-shin!" He interrupted Shinichi's reading of an article about the first murder, his arms folded over his chest. "I know you're all for putting one-hundred ten percent into your work, but don't you have school tomorrow?"

Shinichi closed his laptop and moved it to the end of his bed with a sigh. "Yeah, I do. Do you want me to go to bed early then?" He lied down and slipped under the blanket.

Kaito huffed and sat at the detective's bedside. "That would be nice, but I want to talk to you first." He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart before looking Shinichi in the eye. "Shin-shin, answer me honestly: What has you so worried lately? Why have you been acting so odd? Are you having nightmares again, or am I just overreacting about all of this?"

Shinichi's eyes widened before he averted his gaze. It took him a moment to find the right words. "I-I'm just concerned about the case, that's all. I have had a couple nightmares over the past two weeks, but they haven't been that bad. As for acting strange, I guess it's due to me having to research so much that my mind's kind of loopy."

Kaito ruffled his hair with a smile. "Well, I think you just need to take a break for a while from all of the cases and worry about things like your health and grades! Get some sleep, and we'll see how you are tomorrow."

Kaito left after turning off the light, and Shinichi rolled on his side to try and sleep. It took him over hour to doze off, and he remained that long for only two hours before a nightmare concerning Vermouth awakened him, making him scream and break out in a cold sweat.

As Shinichi struggled to catch his breath, Kaito rushed in the room. "Another nightmare?" He sat beside Shinichi and softly wrapped him in an embrace. "Shin-shin, you need to get a hold of yourself; you have school in a few hours! Do you want to talk about it?"

Shinichi relaxed his muscles a bit. "I don't really remember it," he lied, "so I could probably go back to bed in a few minutes."

Kaito eyed him with obvious concern. "Are you sure you're okay?" he inquired. "If you want, I could stay here with you to help you fall asleep."

Feeling a sense of lethargy wash over him, Shinichi lied back down and placed a hand over Kaito's. "I'll be fine," he yawned. "Just make sure to wake me at six-thirty…" His voice trailed off as a deep sleep finally overcame him.

Smirking, Kaito checked the clock on his phone. "I suppose I could stay here with you, Shin-shin; after all, I want to know what's really bothering you." And so he remained at his _Tantei-kun's_ bedside until six-thirty when he shook Shinichi awake.

Shinichi groaned. "Is it already time?" he mumbled as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Kaito grinned and went over to turn on the light. "Yup! Are you ready for your first day back to school?"

Shinichi shielded his eyes when the light came on with a wince. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He got up and quickly got ready. He shrugged on his bag and was about to leave when Kaito stopped him.

"Hang on, Shin-shin, don't you need something to eat? C'mon, I'll go fix you something!" He dragged Shinichi to the kitchen and began making scrambled eggs and bacon.

With a smile on his face, Shinichi watched the magician cook. He saw how happy Kaito looked—dancing and humming while creating something. In a way, he thought, it was similar to how detectives were. They used the clues they were given as ingredients to create a deduction; there was even evidence as the perfect toppings and seasoning to the bland taste of conjecture.

Kaito finished a few minutes later and set the plate before Shinichi. "Here you are!" He sat on the other side of the table and grinned. "So when do you have to be at school?"

Shinichi took a bite of the eggs. "Eight. Classes start at eight-thirty, but I need to talk to one of my professors."

Kaito rested his chin on his hands. "How far is campus from here? Since it's raining pretty badly, it'd be best if I drove you so you don't get sick."

Shinichi wanted to mention that the cold doesn't make you sick but knew it was a pointless argument. "It's a few kilometers south of here, so I guess you could take me…"

Kaito snickered when seeing Shinichi blush. "Okay then! You can finish your breakfast, and I'll go start the car." He ruffled Shinichi's hair before walking to the garage. There were multiple expensive cars (most likely Yukiko's, Kaito figured), as well as one smaller and less expensive one where his old, beaten one had been with a note in the driver seat.

 _To Kaito:_

 _We just returned to Japan, but we probably won't stay long. You may be wondering why we didn't say hello since you've been back for two weeks. Well, I guess we don't want to pressure Shinichi. I can assume from what I glimpsed at in his bedroom that something happened on the cruise ship that bothers him. I can also see that he is lying to you about sleep—probably has for a while now. You may not be able to tell anything, but believe me when I saw he needs you. I doubt he will ever admit it, but he worries about you, Kaito. He isn't saying anything because he knows how you will respond._ Please _try to help him—before it's too late._

 _On a different subject, you're probably wondering why this is here instead of yours. I was begged by Yukiko to get you this so you could take better care of Shinichi. It has comfier seats, pockets in the backs of the seats large enough for a pillow and small blanket, and a built-in phone setting with a few emergency numbers like Haibara, Agasa, Yukiko, and myself. I spoke with Agasa, and he'll be coming over on Shinichi's first day of classes while you're busy in the house to add more to the car._

 _Take care,_

 _Kudou Yusaku_

 _P.S. You can also could this as an early birthday present._

Kaito was speechless; these weren't even his parents, yet they buy him something like this out of nowhere! He shook his head with a huff and started the car.

A few minutes later, Shinichi made his way outside and smirked when seeing the new car. "My parents came and bought that for you, didn't they?" He sat in the passenger seat and let his muscles relax in the softness. "You're lucky though; Tou-san won't let me drive since he's afraid I inherited my mother's recklessness."

Kaito frowned as he pulled out of the driveway. "I heard from Genta and Ayumi that you know how to fly a plane though…"

Shinichi grinned. "Yeah, Tou-san taught me how to fly a plane and shoot a gun while on vacation in Hawaii."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "So he trusts you with a gun and on a plane but not in a car?"

Chuckling, Shinichi nodded. "Have you _seen_ my mother driving? She thinks the roads are her own personal racetrack!"

Kaito laughed. "I can believe that!" They kept the conversation light-hearted until arriving at the campus five minutes later.

"Thanks for the drive." Shinichi started walking out when Kaito interrupted.

"Have fun! Learn many things! I'm calling your professors later this afternoon!" Kaito waved at him with a broad smile.

Giving a small wave in return, Shinichi turned away and rolled his eyes. He made his way to his classroom and was surprised to see another student so early—a new one at that. He sat in his regular spot and noticed the student shyly standing a few feet away. "Do you need something?" he asked.

The student—a young woman—blushed. "N-no, it's just that you look a lot like someone I know rather well…"

Shinichi thought for a moment before a memory came to him. "Oh, you're probably thinking of Kuroba Kaito. Am I right?"

The girl's eyes blazed; he was on the mark. "How would you know someone like _him_? Do you know where he is? I need to pay him back for all the pranks he pulled on me in high school."

Shinichi briefly explained how Kaito was his caretaker since he doesn't worry enough about his health and safety. "Also," he added, "what's your name? I think Kaito's mentioned you before."

The girl sat in the chair next to Shinichi and extended a hand. "Nakamori Aoko, supporter to all fish and the Catch Kaitou Kid Movement. Yours?"

Shinichi shook the hand. "Kudou Shinichi, a detective. Sorry for my curiosity, but why do you love fish so much?"

Aoko giggled. "Well, you can ask Bakaito about that; it's quite the story." She began pulling out textbooks and stopped. "Oh yeah! Do you mind if I sit next to you? I'm new to this college thing and don't really know what to do."

Shinichi smiled. "You bet I'll help!"

Classes seemed to go on forever to the sleep-deprived Shinichi, but they eventually ended. He rose slow enough to avoid the others rushing out to do karaoke and such and started to leave campus when his phone rang. "Hello?"

"Ah, good afternoon, _Cool Guy_!" It was Vermouth, and she sounded _way_ too happy.

Shinichi refrained from hanging up. "What do you want?" he asked, exasperated.

Vermouth faked a gasp. "Why, I just wanted to give you some information; you don't need to act so grumpy!" She chuckled and returned to her normal tone of voice. "I heard something _interesting_ that you'd like."

Shinichi rubbed his temples. "What is it?"

What Vermouth whispered before hanging up made Shinichi's face go chalk-white. "There was a murder one kilometer east of your campus. Multiple people told the police that they saw someone looking like Gin fleeing the scene."

X

Kaito tried to take an afternoon nap since he slept poorly the previous night, but something was bothering him and eluded him of a pleasant rest. When he groggily sat up and checked the time, he saw it was almost time for Shinichi to return home. Happily jumping to his feet, he made his way to the kitchen and began making a lemon pie.

But Shinichi didn't turn up after twenty minutes of preparations. Kaito set the pie in the oven with a frown. "I wonder where he is? Probably got another case knowing his luck." He sat at the table with a sigh and waited for the pie and Shinichi.

Pretty soon, the pie was done and on the cooling rack, but Shinichi was still gone. Kaito thought of sending a text or calling but knew it wouldn't help Shinichi's frustration and weariness. Instead, he chose to call Takagi.

"Hello? Is this Kuroba-kun?"

"Ah, yes, it is. I was wondering if you've seen Shinichi."

Takagi let out a long sigh. "Yeah, he's here filling out a report for a murder that he found on his way home."

"Was it solved?" Even if Kaito knew Shinichi well, he couldn't help but ask that question.

Takagi hesitated. "Well, not really… You see, there were no witnesses and no suspects. We don't even have an identity for the body."

A familiar icy chill went down Kaito's spine, but he chose to ignore it for the time being. "Okay, so should I come to get him, or is he almost done?"

Takagi laughed. "I think he's about finished here, so I'll tell him to go straight home." He paused. "Make sure you keep an eye on him, okay? He seemed kinda off at the scene."

Kaito huffed. "That's probably because he was at school before and didn't get much sleep again last night. I'll make sure he goes to bed early."

Takagi thanked him and ended the call, allowing Kaito to return to his darkening thoughts and concerns.

Finally, a tired "Tadaima" cut into Kaito's thoughts accompanied by a creaking door opening. Kaito looked up from the table and saw Shinichi heavily leaned against the wall and panting. "Shin-shin!" He rushed up and hugged him. "You're back! How do you feel? Do you think you can go to school tomorrow?"

Shinichi wiped sweat from his forehead. "I'll be okay after I eat and sleep." He tried to stand upright and grimaced. "Can you help me to the kitchen?"

Kaito half-carried the detective to said kitchen and sat him in front of the pie. "It's probably a bit cold, but you'll still eat it, won't you?"

Shinichi gave a weary smile and thanks before cutting a slice and eating it. With a long yawn, he rubbed his eyes. "Man, I'm beat. Do you think you could help me to bed?"

Kaito hummed while slowly carrying Shinichi up the stairs. "I know from seeing you like this that the case was difficult. Do you want to stay home tomorrow so you don't make yourself crash again?"

Shinichi mumbled something along the lines of "I'm fine."

Kaito stopped in his tracks. He wanted to yell that Shinichi was in fact _not_ fine but chose not to. "Well, let's see how you are tomorrow morning." He walked to the room and tucked Shinichi into bed. "Do you need anything else?"

Shinichi rolled on his side. "No, I'll be fine; you should be going to bed too."

Kaito ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Okay then, I'll go to bed. Sleep well!" He quietly returned downstairs to attend to kitchen duties. After eating a slice of pie and cleaning the kitchen, it was already midnight. He stretched out for a moment before making his way to bed, pausing at Shinichi's room. He could see a figure tossing and turning, which meant he was most likely still wide awake.

"Shin-shin?" Kaito whispered, hesitating at the doorway. "Are you okay?"

The figure stopped moving and didn't respond. Kaito opened the door fully and turned on a lamplight, where he saw Shinichi curled up in bed and shivering. "Shin-shin!" Kaito's eyes widened as he sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"

Shinichi turned toward Kaito, tears in his eyes. "I'm worried about you, Kaito. I think you're the next target."

With a quirked eyebrow, Kaito began to rub Shinichi's back. "What are you talking about, Shin-shin? I thought that lady friend of yours was looking into this for you!"

Shinichi let out a deep sigh. "I know she is, but that doesn't change what happened today…" His eyes shined with fear as he realized he said too much.

Kaito carefully put on a poker face. "What do you mean?" he asked gently. "Can you please tell me?"

Shinichi gulped. "Kaito, that victim looked exactly like you."

Kaito felt his poker face start to break, so he averted his gaze. "That's just a coincidence, Shin-shin! After all, you haven't known me for very long!"

Shinichi wasn't so sure. _Is it really just a coincidence that they looked exactly the same, or is it a sign that he's next? Either way, I_ must _protect him at all costs!_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Hooray, Aoko's here! I had to make a joke right away about fish since she seems to always bring it up in the anime, so I think that should suffice. Also, what_ really _happened concerning that victim, and why did he look exactly like Kaito? Is there a connection? Is Kaito's life in danger? Find out next time~_ _  
_**

 ** _Thanks for all the support thus far as well! I'm honestly surprised so many of you are enjoying this story..._**


	28. Surprise 27: Collapsing Under Pressure?

Surprise Twenty-Seven: Collapsing Under Pressure?

Shinichi remained awake for the rest of the night. Kaito tried comforting him by having small conversations about simple topics but fell asleep at two A.M. with his head rested on Shinichi's chest, their bodies intermingled in an embrace. Shinichi gently stroked the magician's hair, a faint smile on his face. He knew Kaito wasn't going to worry about himself with the cases and schoolwork bothering his friend, so they'd have to support each other while dealing with their own internal troubles.

The young detective knew he'd have to get ready for school soon, so he sat up enough to see the clock. Sure enough, it was six o'clock. He shook Kaito. "Oi, get up; I have to get ready!" he whispered.

Kaito stirred and opened his indigo eyes. "Shin-shin?" he mumbled, still half-asleep. "How do you feel today? Did you get any sleep?"

"I'm fine," he lied as he slid out from under Kaito and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "But I need to get ready for school."

However, Kaito didn't believe Shinichi when seeing how shaky and sweaty he looked. "Are you sure?" He grabbed a thermometer from an unknown source and placed it in Shinichi's mouth. A moment later, he pulled it out and glared at the numbers. "Shin-shin, go back to bed _now_. I'm getting you some medicine and cool cloths."

Shinichi began to protest. "But Kaito," he slurred as he began to sway dizzily, "I can't miss the second day of classes!"

Kaito puffed out his cheeks a bit and crossed his arms. "Shin-shin, I talked to a few of your professors yesterday, and it seems they are used to you coming to school sick and don't want to see it anymore. You _are_ staying home _until you recover_."

Shinichi flopped back onto his pillow. "Kaito, can't I miss half of the day to rest and go back this afternoon then? I'd hate missing all of my classes."

Kaito frowned. "Shin-shin, I doubt you'll be well enough to go…but we'll see." He placed the blankets over Shinichi and quietly left the room to get medicine and call his morning professor.

"Hello? Is this Kuroba-san? What happened to Kudou-kun this time?" The professor immediately knew what occurred the instant he saw the number.

Kaito let out a long sigh. "Well, I'm afraid he spent the entire evening going around another murder scene and stayed up all night thinking about it…and got himself sick."

The professor huffed. "Alright, so he's missing today's morning class then. What about the afternoon class? If he is, I can tell the professor for you."

Kaito denied. "He said that he wants to try and go this afternoon if he's well enough." He paused. "But I doubt he will be with the crazy high fever he has right now."

The professor chuckled. "That's Kudou-kun for you. I remember a day last term when he came in with such a high fever he couldn't even stand up!" The professor took a moment to calm his laughter. "Thank you, Kuroba-san; I really appreciate the fact that you put so much effort into caring for that crazy detective."

Kaito thanked him in return and ended the call before getting what he needed and returning to said detective's room, where Shinichi had finally curled up in the bed and dozed off. "Shin-shin, get up~" He gently shook Shinichi.

Shinichi moaned and opened his bloodshot eyes. "What is it?" he whispered.

With a grin on his face, Kaito held out the medicine, cool cloths, and glass of water. "I need to take care of you before you can go to sleep. Here, use the water to take that pill."

Thanking him, Shinichi took the pill and drank the entire glass, not realizing that water had a dissolved sleeping pill in its contents. He lied back down and rubbed his eyes. "Can I go back to sleep now?" he muttered softly.

Carefully placing a cloth on Shinichi's forehead, Kaito snickered and ruffled his hair. "You bet you can! I'll wake you when it's lunchtime and see how you feel. As for me…" He yawned and stretched. "I'm pretty tired myself, so I'm going to take a quick nap in the guest room next door. If you need anything, holler to me, okay?"

Shinichi gave a fatigued smile before covering himself with the blanket and falling back to a doze. Kaito quietly said a "Sleep well!" before trudging to the guest room and collapsing into the bed.

X

Kaito awoke from his nap four hours later feeling quite refreshed. He sat up and stretched before pausing, for he could hear a loud noise. After a moment, he realized it was Shinichi's snoring and laughed. "Well, he's sleeping well!" He looked at his phone to see the time. "I'd better not wake him just yet, so I'll make him a magnificent lunch!" With a grin, he bounced to the kitchen and began creating a nice, hot soup.

An hour later, Shinichi slowly rose due to the smell of the food. He groaned and put a hand to his head as dizziness overcame him. "Man, I still have to go to my afternoon class today too…" He began to stand up when Kaito entered the room with a bowl of what appeared to be some kind of soup.

" _Ohayō_ , Shin-shin! How are you feeling?" He set the bowl on the nightstand and felt the detective's forehead. "Hmm, it feels much cooler than it was this morning, but do you really think you should be going to classes?"

Shinichi waved it off. "I'll be fine if it's only one class. Besides, we're not going to be doing too much since it's only the second day of term." He grabbed the bowl and smelled its contents. "Chicken?"

Kaito nodded with a smile. "Yup! I wanted to make you something nice and hot to feel good with your sore throat you most likely have and thought this was perfect! While you're eating that, I'm going to let your professor know you'll be there in a little while."

Shinichi thanked him before focusing his attention on eating the soup. His mind was muddled due to the illness and wasn't going to work without him pushing it. He knew it would be simpler to just stay home, but he'd hate missing class on the second day.

Once Kaito was done with the quick conversation, he noticed his _Tantei-kun_ staring in his empty bowl deep in thought. "Hey, are you sure you should be going? You look pretty zoned out." He took the bowl from Shinichi, surprising him as he jumped back to reality.

"N-no, I'll be alright, Kaito!" He kept saying he would be fine, but now he was starting to doubt it. Would he be okay if it was just one class, or would he quicken a crash? He knew what Haibara would do (make him stay home for at least a week), but was that the right thing to do? He slowly stood up. "Okay, I should start walking to campus."

Kaito stopped him, eyes wide. "Shin-shin, you shouldn't work yourself _that_ hard! I'll drive you there; it's quicker anyway." He grabbed Shinichi's bag and led him to the new car.

Shinichi felt something was odd in the car ride to the campus. He had a strong feeling of drowsiness that made him consider turning around and going to bed. He blinked rapidly and shook his head. _No way am I going back; I'm not missing classes just because I was too stubborn to sleep last night! I know it was pretty important to get my head straight after what I saw, but…_ He stopped himself as they pulled up to the campus.

"Alright, here we are! Are you sure you'll be okay, Shin-shin?" Kaito placed a hand on Shinichi's shoulder. "You honestly look awful."

Shinichi stepped out of the car. "I should be okay, but I'll call if anything happens." He closed the door and turned back to the campus with a sigh. _For some reason, I feel like I'll regret this…_ He made his way to class, where only Aoko and the professor were—after all, there was still fifteen minutes until class started.

"Oh, you're back!" Aoko looked surprised to see him. "I heard that you got sick. Are you okay? Do you feel better?"

Shinichi smirked as he plopped in his chair. "Yeah, I got sick, but I'd hate missing classes. Kaito persuaded me to stay home for morning class so I can rest since I was up all night."

Aoko frowned. "Were you involved in that murder I heard about this morning? I heard it was a boy not very far from this campus."

Shinichi silently nodded. "I had come across it on my way home yesterday and got caught up in it for quite a while."

Just then, the professor walked up to the two of them. "Kudou-kun, you should be at home right now," he huffed. "It seems that the new caretaker of yours couldn't see how bad you were."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "No, he kept saying how I should stay home, but you know I can't miss your class!"

The professor shook his head. He had known Shinichi for many years and knew Shinichi respected his intelligence. "Well, please let me know if something's wrong." He turned to Aoko. "Nakamori-san, let me know if his fever gets to be too high or if something else serious happens; he _will_ be sent home if he can't focus in my class."

Aoko nodded. "Okay, I'll make sure to keep an eye on him!"

Class began a few minutes later, and Shinichi felt something was really off. He tried to focus on the lecture, but blurry vision and dizziness were starting to set in. He could faintly hear Aoko ask if he was alright before peaceful blackness washed over him.

X

Kaito was going over a new magic trick when his cell phone rang. Thinking the worst had happened, he dropped everything and answered it. "Hello?"

"Yes, this is Kudou-kun's afternoon professor. Can you please come to the campus's infirmary immediately?"

Kaito blanched. "What happened to him?"

The professor hesitated. "Well, it seemed to me that he collapsed in some sort of seizure. I was able to get him into the after-stage of deep sleep, but he needs to be taken home _now_."

Kaito mentally cursed; he figured a crash would happen soon, but not now! "Alright, I'll be on my way. Thank you for helping him." He hung up and sped to the infirmary, where his _Tantei-kun_ was lying in a bed, deathly pale and sweaty.

"Oh, you're here!" The nurse looked relieved to see Kaito. "I was worried when I saw poor Kudou-kun in here again so soon after the term started."

Kaito, who had been lifting Shinichi's limp self in a princess-carry, stopped in his tracks. "Hang on, how often does he wind up here?"

The nurse looked at Shinichi sadly. "This year alone he's been here five times. I know the last four had been because his professors forced him to come and rest since he looked so bad." She paused. "But he never did sleep. He would always pull out that little notebook of his and write down things until he felt it was long enough to go back to class."

Kaito pursed his lips. "That's Shinichi for you." He thanked the nurse and carefully made his way home before carrying Shinichi to bed. Right as he was about to leave the room, Shinichi stirred and opened his eyes.

"Kaito?" he slurred softly. "What happened? Why is my brain so fuzzy?"

Kaito smiled and returned to Shinichi's bedside. "You just crashed a bit, Shin-shin."

Shinichi gave a quiet hum. "Can you stay here? Until I get better…" His voice trailed off as a light slumber overtook him.

Lying down beside Shinichi, Kaito snickered and gently embraced him. "Of course, my _Tantei-kun_. Why would I ever leave you—especially when you're sick like this?"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Well, another chapter! I know this one's probably the shortest one yet, but I guess that's partly because a lot of events are coming up soon... I'm pretty tired right now since the week has been quite stressful, so I will leave off there. Thanks for all the support thus far! (Also, I just finished writing the forty-seventh chapter to this today, and I can actually see a legitimate ending! Let's just hope it will work well enough to where I don't find awful plot holes again...)  
**_


	29. Surprise 28: Heartbroken?

_**Author's Pre-Note: Okay, so I sincerely apologize for the late update; circumstances made it impossible to upload this chapter before now. I managed to put some time from plotting the end to this however just to present this next chapter to you! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish that conversation of realization...(wow, I have writer's block lol)  
**_

* * *

Surprise Twenty-Eight: Heartbroken?

Even if Shinichi was so weak and ill he couldn't sit up, he still wanted to go back to class the next day. Kaito looked at him, his mouth agape. "Shin-shin, you're kidding! You really think I will let you go like _that_?" Crossing his arms, he huffed and returned to his seat at Shinichi's bedside. "Honestly, you're so stubborn sometimes…"

"But I have to!" Shinichi's throat was so sore and raw that his protest came out in a high-pitched squeak. "I only have a bit of a cold!"

Kaito rolled his eyes—he was getting fed up with Shinichi's stubbornness to stay home and recover. "Shin-shin, I told you already that your immune system just crashed! You need to stay home and let it heal."

Shinichi coughed a bit. "It already crashed, so I stayed home yesterday. All I have is a bit of a cold; I should be going back today!"

"Fine then, get worse," Kaito snapped as he jumped up. "Then you'll realize how much you need my help." He stormed out of the room before a shocked Shinichi could stop him.

 _What the heck is up with Kaito?!_ Shinichi had never heard anything mean come from Kaito before and knew he wasn't normally that kind of a person. It was too late to consult Aoko about the matter, so he decided it was best to do as Kaito requested and wait for it to blow over. He turned over and fell into a doze, unable to hear the quiet sobbing coming from downstairs.

 _Why did I have to show my anger like that?_ Kaito sat himself on the bottom stair and tried to stop the tears. _He doesn't deserve this with his illness and the cases he's dealing with! Maybe I should—no, I can't; even Aoko doesn't know the whole story! I should just apologize, and we can forget the whole thing happened_. He crept back to Shinichi's room and saw the dozing detective.

Tears began to form again as Kaito returned to Shinichi's bedside and placed a wet cloth on his forehead. _He knew something was wrong with me, didn't he? He knew something was up, and he chose to comply and stay here for today…for me._

Shinichi could faintly feel something wet falling onto his cheek, but his foggy brain couldn't process it. His eyes slowly opened, and he saw Kaito crying and trembling. "What's wrong?" He shakily placed a hand over Kaito's.

Kaito hastily wiped away the tears. "I-it's nothing, Shin-shin, just go back to sleep."

Even with his muddled thoughts, Shinichi knew Kaito was lying. He slowly sat up, ignoring the dizziness and nausea, and tightly hugged Kaito. "It's fine if you won't tell me exactly what's going on, but please don't act reckless, okay? I'd hate it if something happened to you when I'm in this condition."

Kaito sniffed. "Thank you, Shin-shin…" A peaceful silence fell between them for a few moments until quiet snores came from Shinichi's mouth, his head rested on the magician's shoulder. Kaito smiled. "Well, now you can spend today for resting, and I'll see what I can do about my situation." He carefully placed Shinichi in bed and tiptoed out of the room before pulling out his phone and calling Takagi.

"Hello? Is this Kuroba-kun again?"

"Yes, it is. I was wondering if I could somehow see that body you found a couple days ago. Since it was two days ago, are you able to send me a picture?"

Takagi gasped. "Are you saying you may know the victim?"

Clenching his fists, Kaito quietly agreed.

Takagi sighed. "Well, I suppose I could send you a couple real quick. Let me know if you recognize him, okay?"

Kaito thanked him and ended the call, taking deep breaths and hoping it wasn't who he thought it was. A couple moments later, the pictures arrived. Kaito clicked on the message and stared at the pictures before falling to the floor in a faint. It was indeed as he feared—he knew the victim quite well and never thought he would see this person again, let alone at a murder scene.

X

Shinichi awoke three hours later in need of food. It was quite the odd feeling—his stomach rumbled, yet his mouth was full of bile. He slipped into a robe and began to make his way downstairs before noticing a large object on the floor. His eyes focused for a moment before he realized that object was Kaito passed out on the floor. "Kaito!" He approached Kaito and shook him. "Kaito, get up! What in the world happened?" He glanced over and noticed a phone opened to a picture. He snatched it and saw it was the victim from the murder he encountered two days ago. _Hang on…does he know this guy?_

Kaito slowly rose and groaned, a hand at his head. "Ugh, what happened?" His gaze moved to Shinichi holding his phone, and he blanched. "S-shin-shin, give that back!" He quickly grabbed it and put it in his pocket.

Wiping away sweat, Shinichi took quick, shallow breaths as he leaned against the sofa. "Why were you passed out over here, Kaito? Did you know that person in the picture?"

Kaito immediately began denying. "N-no, Shin-shin, I didn't! I'm just not really a person that can stomach a dead body."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you ask Takagi-keiji to give you pictures?"

Kaito looked away, a blush rising to his cheeks. "I wanted to help you, Shin-shin. I was told by him that it hasn't been solved and that no one has identified him, so I wanted to see if I knew him. I didn't though." It was a partial truth, so he didn't think Shinichi would see through the lie.

Shinichi hummed a bit but said nothing more of the subject. He instead sat up enough to plop on the sofa. "Do you think you could get me something to eat? I'm starving, but I can't move anymore."

Kaito snickered. "Sure! Just wait here, and I'll make you something." He went to the kitchen to do just that, noting how much Shinichi was coughing. He rummaged through the medicine cabinet before coming across yet another pill from Ai with a note attached to the bottle.

 _Kuroba-kun:_

 _This is a pill I just made that can help Kudou-kun with his after-crash cold. I also included some ingredients that will help him sleep since he usually has some excuse to stay awake during this time._

 _Don't keep your eyes off that nosy detective,_

 _Haibara Ai AKA Miyano Shiho_

 _P.S. I doubt you've told me he's crashed, so you better leave me an email—I have ways of finding out information._

Kaito smirked. "Well, she sure can predict when my _Tantei-kun_ needs something!" He dissolved a pill in a glass of water and carried a small tray to Shinichi. "Here you go!"

Shinichi thanked him and quickly ate, only pausing to cough. Ten minutes after eating, he noticed that he was yawning a lot. "Man, I guess I'm tired…"

Kaito ruffled his hair. "Then get some sleep; I'll stay here next to you." With a flick of his wrist, a blanket appeared in his hand, and he gently placed it over Shinichi.

Shinichi placed an arm over his eyes, and his breathing evened out within less than a minute. Kaito came close to dozing off in the recliner but jumped when the doorbell rang. "Who could that be?" he wondered aloud. Luckily, Shinichi was still in a deep sleep, so the magician went to the door and was surprised to see none other than Ran.

"Hello, Kaito-kun." She gave a deep bow. "I was wondering if I could see how you and Shinichi are doing after what happened on the cruise ship. Do you mind if I come in?"

Kaito gave her a rose and fully opened the door, gesturing inside. "Shin-shin is sleeping on the sofa since he had a bit of a crash yesterday after insisting on going back to class even though he had used a lot of energy to do a full day's worth of class and another murder. Since it couldn't be solved, he was up all night long that night, and I made him stay home for morning class so he could rest up."

Ran shyly approached the sleeping Shinichi, a faint smile on her face. "He's always like that, isn't he? Always reckless and doesn't think of what may happen when he goes off after dead bodies like he does."

Kaito could only laugh and agree. Ran turned back to Kaito with a frown. "Kaito-kun, you look pretty tired yourself. How have you been sleeping?"

Kaito shrugged. "I get enough that I don't get sick or anything, but I will admit it'd be nice to not feel that lethargy pulling me down…" He let a yawn escape his throat.

Ran giggled. "Well, you can go upstairs and rest for a little while then; I'll stay here and take care of Shinichi for you."

Kaito's eyes widened a bit. "Wow, thank you." He lightly hugged Ran and made his way upstairs before collapsing into the closest bed, quickly falling asleep.

Ran quietly sat in a stool beside Shinichi and began stroking his hair. "Shinichi…you go through so much, yet you don't tell me anything anymore. I pray that you're just depending on Kaito-kun now; I know deep inside that you need someone to help you when you're struggling or else you'll fall into the dark depths of insanity."

Shinichi, even in his deep sleep, could recognize the soft touch. "Ran…" He stirred and moved closer to her before returning to his slumber.

Ran smiled. "There, just keep sleeping, and you'll recover soon!" _Maybe then you can tell me what's been going on lately._

X

Shinichi heard his phone go off. He groaned and groggily sat up, seeing it was from Ran. _What's wrong with Kaito?_ It asked. _He seemed a bit down when I came to visit._

 _Not sure,_ he responded. _I'll try and ask again tonight._

 _What do you mean again?_ Ran inquired. _Did you try asking earlier today?_

Shinichi hesitated to reply. _Yeah, I did. I could tell something was up when he showed his anger and frustration to me and tried to ask him what was wrong, but he pretended like nothing was wrong and was crying._

 _Crying?_ Now Ran was becoming concerned. _Do you know of anything that happened that would make him act like this?_

Shinichi didn't respond.

 _Shinichi, please tell me—I worry for him too._

Shinichi relented and told her of the most recent murder but not exactly what most likely was making Kaito uneasy.

 _Shinichi, I can tell you're trying to avoid my question. I know he doesn't like dead bodies, but what was it about that particular one that is throwing him off?_

Shinichi's hands shook as he typed the message. _That body…looked exactly like him._

Ran stared at the message in shock. She wanted to continue the interrogation with Shinichi but chose not to when remembering that he was recovering from a crash. _Well, I know you're unwell right now, so try and keep an eye on him as best as you can. If you need anything, let me know, okay?_

Shinichi's nerves relaxed. _Yeah, I will. Thanks._ He put his phone away and paused when noticing the silence. "She made you go to bed too, didn't she?" Shaking his head with a smirk, he slowly made his way upstairs to see Kaito curled up in _his_ bed and snoring softly.

The detective's eyes brightened as an idea struck him. Grabbing a red bowtie from his nightstand, he turned a few dials in the back and bent down beside the magician, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder. " _Ohayō,_ Kaito-niichan!" Conan's voice came out happily.

Kaito groaned sleepily. "Kenichi-kun, what is it?" he mumbled. "Did Tou-san put Kaa-san to sleep on accident again?" He turned away from the surprised Shinichi and returned to sleep.

Shinichi stood up, his face pale. _No way… i-it can't be!_ He glanced at the clock, and, seeing it was late enough, dialed Aoko's number.

"Ah, Kudou-kun, it's you! How are you feeling? I noticed you weren't at class again. Did Bakaito make you stay home?"

Shinichi gave a nervous laugh. "Yes, Kaito managed to persuade me to stay home. As for how I feel, I should be okay in a couple days. I didn't call about that though—I have a question for you about Kaito…"

Aoko raised an eyebrow at the darkening of Shinichi's tone but hoped it would still stay happy. "What, did you want to know about Kaito's experiences with fish?"

"Who is Kenichi?" Shinichi cut to the chase and could hear Aoko gasp.

"W-where did you hear that name?" she stuttered as she tried to not drop her phone. "How do you know his name?"

"I heard it from Kaito while he was sleeping," he whispered. "He's been acting real strange lately and won't tell me why."

Aoko bit her lip. "I know why," she spoke quietly. "He does this every year around this time—I'm not very surprised. You see, Kenichi was kind of important to Kaito…he was Kaito's younger brother."

Shinichi felt his mouth go dry. "He had a younger brother? What happened to him?"

Aoko sighed. "If I remember right, tomorrow marks the ten-year anniversary of when it happened. He was seven at the time and would always follow his older brother around and try to learn the same magic tricks. Kaito had been sick with the flu at the time, and his parents were out for a dinner date. Kaito was going to go to the store a few blocks away and buy more medicine, but Kenichi insisted on going instead." Her voice broke off as she struggled to contain her tears.

"He didn't return, did he?" Shinichi could easily figure out the rest on his own. "So no one has known since then where he is or if he's alive?"

Aoko quietly denied. "They searched everywhere for him or at least a clue…but nothing could be found. Kaito felt so guilty—he felt that he was the one that caused Kenichi's disappearance and possible death. His parents took him out of school for a few months and toured around Europe to try and cheer him up, but he came back changed. He would always wear a mask over his face if he felt sad or upset about something.

"Every year around this time while we were both still in school, he would always leave for a few days without telling the teachers, but they knew what had happened and let him. I visited him on the first year since I was worried and saw him collapsed in Kenichi's room and crying. I didn't know what to say, so I just sat next to him until he calmed down."

Shinichi was speechless. After a moment to go through his thoughts, he spoke again. "Aoko, would it be best if I tried to cheer him up now, or should I leave him be until day after tomorrow when it's over with?"

Aoko thought for a moment. "Well, I guess it would be best if you tried to cheer him up right away; maybe then he won't feel near as bad when tomorrow comes." She paused. "Oh, I need to go. Let me know if anything else happens to Kaito, and I'll call him later!"

Shinichi thanked her and ended the call, looking down at Kaito with a sad expression as he gently stroked his hair. "Kaito…I can't believe you went through something so traumatic…and kept it to yourself the way you did for so long." With a quiet sigh, he tore a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote a note before leaving.

 _Kaito-_

 _I am going to be taking a short walk outside to get some fresh air, so don't worry if you can't find me. You can text me when you wake up, and I'll try to make my way back as quickly as I can._

 _Also, try to stay positive, okay? You were saying things in your sleep that made me call Aoko, who's a new student in my class that knows you, and she told me what happened ten years ago. It's sad hearing that story—I wish there was some way I could change it. The only thing I can do is take a look at the case file when I recover and see if I can find anything I can go on._

 _Take care; you know I worry too._

 _~Kudou Shinichi_

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Well, another chapter! So now you know of poor Kuroba Kenichi, whom is another character I made up along with Fujiko and...oops, that's for a bit later. Anyway, what did you think of Kenichi from what you heard so far? Do you like that I keep making up new characters to fit in the story? I might be doing that in my next project as well, but that's still a little ways away and wouldn't really feel right..._**

 ** _Okay, I have to bring this up. On the 19th of this month (February), it marks exactly one year since I started watching Conan! My goal is to have watched 479 episodes by then (yes, I haven't watched every single one yet because I don't want to be caught up), but I'll have to see and update you on it. Oh, speaking of annoying characters, I have a huge poster board that has a drawing of the UK on it (geography assignment), and I can't look at it without thinking of HAKUBA...In case you didn't know, he's my least favorite character in the series with Haibara being the top, Shiratori being third, and Mitsuhiko being fourth. I surprisingly like ones such as Yamamura, Yokomizo (both), and Sonoko-they're hilarious to be around! [Later note: I only watched 470, but I saw Kaitou Kid-sama!]  
_**

 ** _Anyway, I digress. As a final addition to this however, I must thank all of you faithful readers for putting up with me and my writer's block! I'm really happy (and surprised) that you're enjoying this story, and I can say with hope that I'll make a sequel for this when the Time is Right (ooh, Septimus Heap reference?)._**


	30. Surprise 29: Turnaround?

Surprise Twenty-Nine: Turnaround?

The Kudou home seemed quite peaceful that evening; the sunset seemed to create a golden glow around its edges. However, if one were to go inside that home and search around a bit, they'd find it not so. The living room was filled with provisions to care for a sick person, and the kitchen smelled of cooking soup. They could make their way up the stairs past the library and such and come across a few bedrooms. The first seemed to be the master and vacated, but the second wasn't so. A figure with wild, dark hair and indigo eyes could be seen crying over a piece of paper with scrawled handwriting. If they listened closely, they could hear the figure continually whispering two names: "Kenichi" and "Shin-shin." He would not stop whispering those names for many minutes until he tossed the note aside with a huff. "I suppose I should check on him, shouldn't I?" He pulled out a phone and dialed a number.

"Oh, did you just wake up?" Shinichi was loudly panting, which meant he was either running, or he was overworking himself and developing a fever again. "I'm pretty close to home, so I can be there in a few minutes."

Kaito's brows furrowed. "Shin-shin, where did you go, and how long ago did you leave?"

Shinichi chuckled. "Don't worry about where I went; I just needed to take a bit of a walk. As for how long…" He checked his tranquilizer watch and had a small coughing fit in the process. "It was about an hour ago. Why do you ask? Are you going to persuade me to stay home from school again tomorrow just because I wanted to take a walk outside?"

Kaito rolled his eyes. "Shin-shin, you and I both know you need more time to recover from your crash. Since tomorrow's Friday, you can stay home and have the whole weekend to relax and let your body heal itself. If you don't do that, you know it will only get worse, and that little scientist friend of yours would have to come back and treat you."

Shinichi grimaced. " _That_ could be ugly." He sighed. "I guess you're right on staying home. I hate missing so much class, but they'll probably be glad that I'm not trying to go to school in bad…" His voice trailed off as he realized he said too much.

Kaito's eyes sharpened. "Shin-shin, did something happen?"

But Shinichi would not respond, making Kaito's nerves go on edge. "Shin-shin, where are you?"

Again Shinichi remained silent, so Kaito ran to the guest room and pulled out his laptop to track Shinichi's location. He was in a back alley a few blocks away from the house, which meant Kaito could get there in just over a minute if he ran.

"Shin-shin, I'll be right there; just wait, okay?" He quickly grabbed two jackets, placing one over himself, and snatched an emergency pill and water bottle before rushing out the door. He stayed on the line with Shinichi to make sure nothing happened, and shortly after he arrived at said alley, where his _Tantei-kun_ was heavily leaned against a wall and gasping for breath, his phone knocked to the ground and his face pale and sweaty. In his hands was a small box with a ribbon on top.

"Shin-shin, are you okay? Here, take this!" He forced the shaken detective to take the pill and drink half of the water. "What's wrong, Shin-shin? Was there another murder or something?"

Slowly, Shinichi nodded his head. "There was a case," he quietly spoke.

Kaito racked his brain to figure out what happened. Eventually, he remembered the one case that still terrified Shinichi. "Did it have anything to do with… _that case_?"

Covering his mouth and taking deep breaths to stop himself from vomiting, Shinichi nodded again. "It was only a robbery, but it was Fujiko-chan's dad that was the victim. I was able to stop myself from panicking or anything until now…" He began having a coughing fit, making him hurl and collapse into Kaito's arms.

"Shin-shin, we need to get you home _now_ ; you're far too cold and panicky for my liking." He wrapped the extra jacket around Shinichi and started carrying him piggyback.

Shinichi buried his head in Kaito's warm back. "Sorry about all this, Kaito," he mumbled softly. "I just wanted to get some fresh air and buy something…"

"Buy what, Shin-shin?" Kaito stopped but laughed when realizing Shinichi had already fallen into a feverish doze. "Well, I suppose it's a good thing that you made yourself tired; I was worried you wouldn't sleep again tonight!"

X

Shinichi tossed and turned all night as his body tried to fight off the sickness, and Kaito stayed up taking care of him. He gave Shinichi one of the new after-crash pills, but it did nothing to help. Finally at seven A.M., Shinichi managed to slip into a light sleep.

Kaito sighed in relief. "Finally; I was getting worried!" Yawning, he wriggled his way into bed beside Shinichi and quickly passed out.

Two hours later, Shinichi awoke from a pounding headache and couldn't help but huff when seeing the sleeping magician beside him. "Really, you stay up all night for me again?" He glanced at his nightstand, where the box he bought the previous day sat unopened. He tried to get up, inducing a coughing fit in the process. Leaning back against the wall, he clutched his chest and gasped for breath as his heart skipped a beat.

"Shin-shin, you're up already? Do you need anything?" Kaito sleepily rose and rubbed his eyes. After a few seconds, he looked and grew alarmed when seeing Shinichi keeled over. "Shin-shin, what's wrong?"

Shinichi tightly grasped Kaito's hand, his face contorted with pain. "Call Haibara…tell her I'm turn…" He grunted in pain and fell forward into Kaito's arms before falling unconscious.

Kaito felt his face whiten. He shakily pulled out his phone and dialed Ai's number.

There was a long sigh. "What do you want, Kuroba-kun? You _know_ how busy I am."

"It's Shinichi; h-he's turning back to Conan again." Kaito was so surprised and terrified that he couldn't stop his stuttering.

Ai silently cursed. "Where are you? Are you back at home?"

Kaito quietly agreed. "Can you come help him? He just passed out and still looks horrible…"

Ai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean still? Are you saying he had a crash and you didn't tell me?" She huffed. "I figured that would happen soon with him starting classes again. I'll tell Agasa-hakase where I'm going and be there in about twenty minutes. In the meantime, stay with Kudou-kun. You can't do anything else, but that alone with make him feel better."

Kaito continually thanked her until she hung up. "Hakase!" Ai called from her new basement office. "I'm going to treat Kudou-kun again; I'll probably be back tomorrow!"

Professor Agasa lumbered down the stairs in surprise. "What happened to Shinichi? Is he alright? Should I come too?"

Ai glared at him. "He overworked himself and made himself crash, which somehow made his body start to turn back to his child state. As for if he's okay, that is _obviously_ no if I'm going. You shouldn't come; you'd probably get in the way of Kaito's overprotecting and my observations. In other words, you'd make Shinichi feel overwhelmed. Just stay here on alert in case something serious does happen and we need you to come."

Professor Agasa's expression saddened. He badly wanted to see Shinichi and help him feel better but understood where Ai was coming from. "Alright, I'll get you some money for the train…" He trailed off when seeing Ai slipping on sneakers. "Hey, you don't plan on walking there, do you? You're only going to make yourself sick!"

Ai rolled her eyes and shook her head. "This is the quickest way to get to Kudou-kun's house. Luckily, I memorized enough maps to know all the back alleys to get there in about fifteen minutes. And _please don't follow me_ ; I can take care of him just fine."

Professor Agasa looked down at his feet and quietly complied.

Ai considered having him come seeing how sad he looked but knew she was right that he'd only get in the way. Thanking him, she rushed her way to the Kudou home, which was left unlocked. "Really, you know that killer that Kudou-kun's looking for could have come…" Shaking her head, she made her way upstairs and found a passed out Conan in his room and the guest room locked. _That's odd; I figured Kuroba-kun would stay with Kudou-kun until he passed out. Maybe they fought or something?_ She sat at Conan's bedside and waited for him to wake.

Finally, he did late that evening. His eyes slowly opened, and he gasped upon seeing Ai. "W-what are you…?" He felt at his throat. "Ah, right, I forgot I'd turned back. Where's Kaito? I figured he'd be here."

Ai hummed thoughtfully. "I was wondering the same thing. He had called me to come over, yet he was locked in the other bedroom by the time I showed up. Did something happen between the two of you?"

Conan remained silent for a moment until realization hit. "Ah, that must be why!" He started to get up, but Ai stopped him.

"Kudou-kun, this is _exactly_ why you always get hurt and sick. Just wait until I feel you can go." She made him eat a bowl of soup and waited ten minutes before sticking a thermometer in his mouth. She stared at the numbers. "Well, I suppose you can go check on him. But _do not_ think about doing any more than that. If you make yourself worse by overexertion, I will keep you home on bed rest _for a month_."

Conan grimaced. "Okay, I get you!" He gave a small wave and left the room. For some reason unknown to him, he hesitated by Kaito's door. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the doorknob and turned. Surprisingly, it opened. He slowly made his way into the room and saw Kaito curled up and dozing with tear streaks on his face.

"Kenichi-kun…" Kaito sounded as if he were in a nightmare reliving the day of his brother's disappearance ten years previously. "Please don't go…"

Conan's expression saddened. He didn't know what else to do besides walk over to Kaito's bedside and gently stroke his hair.

Kaito, who had been quite tense, loosened up at Conan's soft touch. He mumbled something and returned to a deep, peaceful sleep. Conan carefully slipped under the blanket and embraced the magician. He tried to stay awake, but the warmth of Kaito lulled him into a doze.

X

 _Kaito and his brother were in the living room practicing a new trick while their parents were out on a date._

 _"Kaito-niichan, show me again! You have it perfect!" Kenichi practically bounced around his grinning brother._

 _Kaito did the trick again, barely showing Kenichi how he made it appear to be magic. "Okay, you have it now?" He looked up to Kenichi, who had suddenly turned pale. "K-Kenichi-kun, what's wrong?"_

 _Kenichi coughed up blood and fell to the floor, dead. Kaito collapsed next to his brother and tried to wake him. "Kenichi-kun, Kenichi-kun…"_

Kaito jolted awake with a gasp. He spent a few minutes to catch his breath and noticed comforting warmth at his side. Looking down, he saw Conan snuggled next to him asleep. He laughed softly and ruffled the shrunken detective's hair. "You knew why I did that earlier, didn't you? You were sick, yet you came here to make me feel better."

Conan stirred slightly but remained in his deep sleep.

Kaito sighed. "I'll admit; it is good to have you sleeping so well, _Tantei-kun_." He lied back down and wrapped his arms around Conan before returning to his sleep. Both stayed asleep until well into the next morning when the smell of food made its way upstairs.

Kaito sat up and stretched with a long yawn. "Wow, I feel better!" He glanced at the alarm clock beside him and saw how late it was. "I suppose sleeping in late was best considering the circumstances."

Conan groaned and slowly rose before seeing Kaito awake. Grinning, he couldn't help but exclaim, " _Ohayō_!" and hug the magician.

Kaito smiled and draped an arm around Conan. "Good morning indeed." He paused to turn his smile to a frown. "I really appreciate the fact that you stayed here with me to make me feel better, but you know that _you_ are the one that's sick and needs taken care of, right? Did Scientist-san agree to you coming here?"

Conan chuckled. "I know I'm sick, but Haibara was the one wanting me to come here after she did some tests and such since you had locked yourself away after telling her to come here. She was worried that we had fought or something!"

Kaito hummed. "Hey, Shin-shin," he changed the subject, "do you know why I did that yesterday, or did you just come to see what was wrong?"

Conan looked into Kaito's indigo eyes with sadness. "I do know, Kaito. You couldn't look at me like this without thinking of your brother, right?" He stopped himself as a thought came to him. "Actually, I have a question. I know it's a touchy subject right now, but can you tell me a bit about Kenichi? Maybe what he was like?"

Kaito looked up at the ceiling with a distant smile and told Conan of Kenichi's past; of how he wanted to grow up and be a magician that was just as good as Kaito and how they could be stage partners. Kenichi was a happy child who would never get sad or upset. If he didn't get something he wanted, he accepted it and went to play with Kaito.

Once Kaito was done explaining Kenichi's story, he felt Conan nuzzle up to him as he quickly passed out. He began stroking Conan's hair when Ai came in with a tray full of healthy foods and a smirk on her face.

"Well, Kuroba-kun, it seems Kudou-kun knew how to make you feel better." She glanced at Conan, and her eyes widened in shock. "Kuroba-kun, get him back to his room _now_!" She quickly sat the tray on the nightstand, panicked.

Confused, Kaito looked down and noticed Conan was sweating profusely and taking quick gasps of breath. Realization hit him, and he followed Ai back to Conan's room with the suffering detective in his arms.

Once Conan was placed in bed, he partially opened one eye and tightly grasped Kaito's hand as the pain threatened to overcome him. "Kaito…don't lose hope…I _will_ find the killer!" His grip then loosened as he fell unconscious.

Ai noticed the sadness Kaito tried to hide. "I can tell there's something here that I don't know about, but I won't ask. As for what we should do with Kudou-kun, I'm going to get cool cloths and such, and you can get a pair of larger clothes for him." Her eyes narrowed as an idea came to her, but she merely left the room, a smile playing on her lips.

Ai continued to care for the transformed Shinichi until two o'clock that afternoon, saying she needed to get back to Professor Agasa and make sure he wasn't binge eating again.

Kaito did not reply; he merely sat there at Shinichi's bedside as thoughts good and bad went through his head.

Ai let out a quiet sigh and tapped Kaito on the shoulder, startling him. "Kuroba-kun, I'm leaving for now. If anything happens, let me know, and I'll be here as soon as I can." She paused. "And please be careful and make sure you're not stressing yourself too much or else _you_ will be the one getting sick." With a small wave, she turned away and left.

Kaito returned to his thoughts until one happy one broke through everything. "Hey, that's a good idea! It's the perfect plan to keep both of us stress-free, and I can have a bit of fun~"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: Wow, we're almost to that part already; I can't wait for you guys to read it! But anyway, enough foreshadowing-let's talk about something better like Undertale...okay, that sounded better in my head. But I do love the idea of Undertale in how you can basically decide how the game ends (sure, lots of games do this, but none as great as Undertale). The characters are awesome (Sans, anyone?), and the music...ohhh, the music. I have been listening to a track called "Megalovania" on repeat because it's just so GOOD! **_

_**Oh my gosh, I need to stop digressing like this. Thanks for all the support thus far; we just hit 10K views, as well as 50 favorites and followers!  
**_


	31. Surprise 30: Not Enough Notice?

Surprise Thirty: Not Enough Notice?

Shinichi managed to recover rather nicely and went back to school the following Monday. However, he found it quite troubling to sleep at night. You see, every day after school he secretly went to investigate Kenichi's death, lying to Kaito that it was just regular cases happening to pile up on him. He would think about the case most of the night until finally dozing off for a couple hours. Surprisingly, Kaito didn't notice at all—either that or he was too shy to bring it up, anyway.

But that changed on the Thursday of the second week. Shinichi had an actual case to solve and arrived home at half past midnight, looking even worse than normal.

"Shin-shin, what took you so long?" Kaito quickly hugged him, a look of concern on his face. "You've been gone for ages. Come get something to eat and head to bed; you have school tomorrow!"

Shinichi collapsed on the living room couch, his exhaustion just too much. "I can't, Kaito; I'm too weak…"

Kaito frowned. "Are you alright, Shin-shin? You look pretty pale. Was it more than one case that you had to deal with at once?"

Shinichi nodded as he laid back and closed his heavy eyes. "Yeah, two in a row…I thought I could handle them both, but I guess I can't." He placed an arm over his face and fell into a doze.

Kaito picked up Shinichi in a princess-carry, a certain thought coming to him again. "Hm, maybe I could do _that_ tomorrow since _that_ is pretty soon!" With a grin slowly spreading on his face, he placed Shinichi in bed before running downstairs to the phone.

"Hello, is this Kuroba again? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong; it's quite the opposite, in fact!" He explained his idea.

"Ah, I suppose that would be nice. I won't count it as anything either since he needs that quite badly. Have you noticed how tired he's been lately?"

Kaito quietly agreed. "He's been having cases every day, and I think it's starting to wear him down. So you'll let him then?"

"Yes, I will. Make sure to keep an eye on him though, okay? He has a tendency to attract trouble…"

X

Shinichi awoke the next morning to someone lightly shaking him. Groaning, he turned away and cuddled under his blanket.

This "someone" huffed and shook him again. "Come on, get up! Today's going to be a fun day!"

This got Shinichi's attention. He groggily sat up and rubbed his eyes with a yawn. "What's up? Are we doing something this weekend?"

Kaito snickered and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "You could say that. I already talked to your teacher, and…" He trailed off as his hand slid to his pocket. "Well, see for yourself!"

Shinichi grabbed the object, some paper, and unfolded it before gasping. It was a note—a note from a certain phantom thief of an upcoming heist. Just to be sure, he looked at the bottom, where a hand-drawn caricature sat beside the signature. "K-Kaito, you're…?"

With a wide smile, Kaito nodded happily. "Yup, I have another heist! Since I'm not going to keep this one, you can just sit back and enjoy the magic and illusions!" He paused. "Oh yeah, you're going to be leaving after your morning class today so we can fly there and you can get some well-needed sleep; I can tell you're super drained still."

Shinichi sighed and set the note on his nightstand. "Wow, thanks, Kaito." He lightly hugged the magician before setting out to get ready for his half-day at school, noticing a suitcase by the door already full of necessities. "Kaito, how long did you actually sleep?"

Kaito chuckled. "Oh, enough for me—I'll be sure to take a nap later on the plane since it will be a long enough flight." He flicked his wrist, and a freshly-made pastry appeared in his hand. "I made a few last night and figured you'd want one before heading out."

Shinichi thanked the magician again and took it before heading out. He would normally have felt tired during his morning class, but the excitement and mystery of the upcoming heist kept him going quite strongly until he got in the car with Kaito that afternoon. An immense wave of sleepiness came over him, making him silently curse and blush as Kaito laughed.

"Well, I see you're already relaxed for this trip! Just wait a bit longer, and we'll be on the plane to our destination!" He started the ignition and began driving to the airport. "Oh! If you want to know where we're going, you'll have to decipher the code I gave you. Do you still have it with you?"

Shinichi pulled it out of his pocket, the letter already full of small hand-written notes. "Yeah, I spent some time working on it after finishing my project, but I can't figure it out just yet. Are you going to give me any hints?"

Kaito wagged a finger in a tsk-tsk manner. "No way, _Tantei-kun_ , you need the practice anyway, don't you? I bet it'll come to you eventually." They eventually made their way to the airport and boarded their plane.

Shinichi leaned back in his seat and sighed. "Man, I'm tired. How long is this flight?"

Kaito knew Shinichi would figure out where they were going if he gave a full answer. "Oh, long enough for you to nap for a bit, I'd think. I'm going to do the same." He made two blankets appear and gave one to Shinichi before setting the seat further back and covering himself with his own, quickly falling into a deep sleep.

Shinichi tried to do the same but found his curiosity keeping sleep as evasive as always. With a huff, he threw off the blanket and pulled out the heist note, narrowing his eyes as a certain location came to his mind. Reading it over again and again, he found it was indeed that place. Smirking, he put the note away and looked at his watch to see how much time he had lost. One hour wasn't too terribly bad, but that meant less time for him to rest his pounding head.

Looking at the sleeping magician, Shinichi placed the blanket back over himself wearily and gave a sleepy smile. _Well, so you have some fun in mind? Let's hope that I am able to enjoy it as you plan and not have something_ else _interrupt it…again._ He closed his eyes and finally slept for the remaining two hours of the flight until Kaito woke him.

"Shin-shin, let's get going! Did you figure out where we are yet?" Kaito looked overly energetic after the nap he had as he literally bounced around.

Shinichi let out a fatigued groan and tossed the blanket at Kaito. "Yeah, I figured it out eventually, but that short amount of sleep I had didn't really help much."

For some reason, Kaito grinned. "Well, that's why we came here today! Let's get to our hotel room, and you can get some sleep while I set things up at the location!"

To the common resident of this city, it would have appeared quite odd seeing these two individuals walk the streets. The one in front was happily bouncing and chatting to his friend, while the other remained behind slouched over with his hands in his pockets, deep in thought. They also looked rather similar, making one wonder if they were brothers. But how could two siblings be so different?

The two made their way to a nice hotel and to their room, where Shinichi immediately collapsed in the back bed. "Okay, I am just _done_. Can I sleep for a while now?"

Kaito snickered and sat at the edge of the bed beside Shinichi. "Yeah, I'll let you sleep until it's time for dinner since I figure you had some lunch at campus before leaving. You're lucky I decided to come early enough for you to do this…" His voice trailed off suddenly as he changed the subject. "Actually, Shin-shin, I have a question for you. How come you're having trouble sleeping again? Is it just because of all the cases you've had lately?"

Shinichi turned away from Kaito to hide the fear in his eyes. "I-I guess so. The stress of it all must be getting to me." He curled up under his blanket as he began to tremble. You see, Kenichi's case was a lot more than it initially seemed—Shinichi had known that his death had something to do with the Organization, but the poor boy was further into it than anyone could ever fathom.

Kaito could sense how tense Shinichi was and began rubbing his back. "Shin-shin, you shouldn't let stuff like this bother you so much! It's not like I'm going to leave you all alone with the door unlocked for Gin or somebody to get you. Why wouldn't I stay by your side and make sure you're safe from everything?"

Shinichi loosened up a bit, making tears begin to form. "But what if they come when you're most vulnerable? What if they take you away from me? Kaito, I can't last without you at my side!"

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin…" He slipped under the covers and gently wrapped himself around Shinichi. Closing his eyes, he softly whispered, "I will never leave you. I will make it impossible for them to get either of us. We will _never_ be separated."

They both felt comforted by the other's presence, and they slept soundly until Kaito's rumbling stomach awoke him. "Well, I guess I should go see what we'll eat tonight!" He laughed and sat at the desk, pulling out his phone to do some research.

Shinichi quietly moaned in his sleep. "Kaito, come back; I'm cold…" he mumbled before snoring again.

Kaito huffed and sat on the edge of the bed, allowing Shinichi to curl up beside Kaito with his head lying on the magician's lap. He ruffled Shinichi's hair with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're getting better, my _Tantei-kun_." His eyes brightened as he found the perfect restaurant, and he called them to place a delivery order.

Thirty minutes later, the food arrived, and Kaito made sure to pay the poor delivery boy a nice tip before closing the door. He knew Shinichi should be eating but didn't want to wake him since he was sleeping so deeply. He instead chose to wait another half hour until Shinichi finally awoke with a groan.

"Man, I'm hungry." He turned his tired eyes over to Kaito and noticed the food. Shaking his head with a laugh, he crawled to the end of the bed to take his container. "You think of everything, don't you, Kaito?"

Kaito snickered. "I try to!" Since he had already eaten, he watched Shinichi slowly eat his meal with a frown. "So how are you feeling now, Shin-shin? Are you up to seeing my magic show tomorrow?"

Shinichi set aside his half-finished food and leaned against the bed's backboard. "I think I'll be fine as long as I sleep well enough tonight and there are no cases tomorrow…" A yawn escaped his mouth as he slid under the covers. "And judging that I slept pretty well earlier, I should be able to tonight."

With a grin, Kaito got up and turned off the light. "I hope you do. Sleep well, Shin-shin!" He returned to his bed and flicked on the TV, turning on a quiet police detective drama. Before long, he found he couldn't keep his eyes open, so he turned over and fell fast asleep, oblivious to the fact that Shinichi was still awake and remained awake until 5:23 the next morning when he could finally doze off.

Why couldn't he sleep? It was simply because his mind was too focused on worrying about everything. He had silently hoped that he could sleep as long as he needed, but it turned out that Kaito had big plans set…except that he slept through the first, which was supposed to be a large, magnificent breakfast at a nice restaurant. Shinichi was thankful for that.

Kaito did wake up at half past eight and sighed when seeing the time. "Well, that's one thing we can't do." He turned to Shinichi, and his expression saddened at what he saw. The detective was tightly curled up under the blanket, his face pale as he trembled. It appeared as if he was in another nightmare. Kaito nervously approached Shinichi and shook him. "Shin-shin, are you okay?"

Shinichi sat up with a start as the nightmare ended, gasping for breath as sweat formed on his face. It took him a moment before he realized the person he least wanted next to him was in fact sitting on the edge of his bed with a concerned expression. "Oh, sorry, Kaito; I just had a bit of a bad dream, that's all."

Kaito's brows furrowed. "What was it about? Was it about _them_ again? Because you know that they haven't done anything in a while!"

Shinichi hesitated to reply. He kind of wanted to admit that the dream was in fact about Kenichi's death but didn't want to spoil Kaito's big day. Instead, he chose to lie again. "I-I don't really remember it," he whispered as he wrapped the blanket around himself. "All I know is that it was something I wouldn't want to happen now."

Kaito chose to drop the subject even though he knew Shinichi had lied. He instead looked at the clock with a smile. "Hey, how about we go get something to eat before we go to the places I had planned? After all, they will be mere spices to add to the real meat of today!"

Shinichi gave a small smile and quickly got ready before they headed downstairs for their complimentary breakfast. It wasn't the best they'd ever eaten but still fairly decent. After that, they went to three different museums to view their exhibits.

"Pay close attention!" Kaito couldn't hide his grin. "You may find the piece a certain someone's taking tonight."

Shinichi rolled his eyes nonchalantly as if not caring but took note of a few exquisite pieces in the last museum. While leaving said museum, Shinichi couldn't hide a wince as his head began to pound harder than it already had been.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kaito placed a hand on Shinichi's shoulder, his eyes filled with concern. "You don't look well."

Shinichi put a hand to his head. "I'm probably short on sleep since I was awake until past five this morning."

Kaito's expression grew alarmed. "Shin-shin, why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have let you rest if you needed it that badly!" He ushered Shinichi into their rental car.

Shinichi relaxed in the seat and leaned his head against the window. "I didn't want to ruin your special day though…" His voice came out as a quiet mumble as his fatigue increased immensely.

Starting the ignition, Kaito huffed. "Shin-shin, I appreciate the kindness, but your health is more important! You get some sleep; I'll wake you when we need to get ready."

Shinichi wasn't sure what happened after that—he was asleep but also awake at the same time. He knew the latter was true since he could hear Kaito's worrying and feel himself being carried back to the hotel room. Finally, once he was placed in bed, he was able to drift off.

Kaito slowly sat beside Shinichi and burst into tears. "You're hiding from me again, aren't you? Something bad is going on, and you won't tell me!"

X

Once again, Shinichi did not sleep long—a nightmare startled him awake after a mere two hours.

Kaito couldn't stop himself from asking. "Let me guess, another nightmare you won't tell me about?" Tears glinted in his eyes as he turned away from Shinichi.

Shinichi's expression saddened. Coming to a decision, he shakily made his way behind Kaito and wrapped his arms around the magician's waist. "Kaito, I promise I'll tell you when I'm ready, okay? Today's supposed to be your day, isn't it?"

Kaito sniffed. "I guess you're right…thanks, Shin-shin." He took a moment to absorb Shinichi's warmth before extracting himself from the embrace, a grin on his face. "Well, are you ready to see the show?"

Shinichi laughed. "Indeed, I am quite intrigued as to what you have in store for me and your horde of fangirls." He paused as an image flashed in his mind, but he did not want to bring it up; he knew Kaito would be careful tonight.

Kaito used his magic to put on his white suit and snickered. "I believe you know where you will be going, so…close your eyes!"

Shinichi did so and felt something like a gust of wind. He opened his eyes a moment later and was shocked to see he was standing on a balcony in the Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, the final museum he had been to that afternoon. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He's probably laughing now that I won't be able to figure that trick out."

Kaito was in fact laughing as he removed his binoculars from his eyes. "Yup, he doesn't know what happened!" A scene of Shinichi passed out in his car with Jii driving was quite memorable, after all. Jii was curious as to why this detective boy was in their car, but all he had to say was…

 _Ah, better snap out of it!_ Kaito shook his head to stop himself from blushing and checked his watch. It was time to begin the show. But before he jumped off, he caught a glimpse of bright-red below him. His eyes widened in excitement. _Ooh, if it's what I think it is, then tonight's going to be rather interesting._

Shinichi surveyed the crowd for people like Nakamori-keibu and instead saw someone quite different. "Z-Zenigata-keibu, what are you doing here? I thought you only went to Lupin's heists!"

Inspector Zenigata turned. "Ah, it's Kudou Shinichi-kun! Yes, I do only go after Lupin's heists…" He showed Shinichi a typed heist notice.

Shinichi smirked. _This shall be fun for both me and Kaito… I wonder how tonight will pan out for everyone._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hooray, the heist is here! I was so excited for you all to see this, and I can't wait for you to hear the end of this...oops, I almost spoiled again. But anyway, thank you SO much for all the support; I can't believe so many people are reading MY work! I guess when you search hard enough, you can find those hardcore fans such as yourself and sometimes interact with them. (I have also been listening to "sans.," "Home," "Undertale," and "Bonetrousle" from Undertale while I'm writing. They actually work rather nicely in the situations I find myself stuck with.) XD**


	32. Surprise 31: Surprise Disguise?

Surprise Thirty-One: Surprise Disguise?

After Kaitou Kid made a huge light show for the audience, he and Arsené Lupin III went inside the museum, and all was silent. As Kaito waited for his chance to get the jewel, his thoughts were processing.

 _There's something odd going on here. I know Lupin normally has his little crew to help out, but where are they? Maybe they disbanded since it's been two years?_ He shook his head and crawled out of the air vent, dropping down beside the jewel case.

All of a sudden, the silence was interrupted with a loud, ringing gunshot. Shinichi instinctively jumped up from a bench and ran inside. He almost fainted when seeing a white suit stained with the red of blood. "K-Kaito…"

The magician put a finger to his lips. "You need to go, Shin-shin. That Lupin guy was actually the one you're looking for…go get him!" He faintly whispered before passing out in Shinichi's arms due to the large amount of blood loss.

Shinichi, with tears stinging in his eyes, stood up in anger and searched the entire building, finding nothing. With a downcast sigh, he knew he wouldn't find the culprit since there were too many people in the crowd. He returned to where he found Kaito and saw two paramedics rolling him into an ambulance and Nakamori Ginzo standing there in disbelief.

"Um, what's wrong, Nakamori-keibu?" He nervously approached the inspector, startling him as he returned from his thoughts.

"Oh, it's you, Kudou-kun. Well, uh…" He hesitated for a moment. "Kid, he—he told me who he was in his delirium." He looked away with a smile. "There's no way I could arrest him, especially now that he's injured. Besides, he never stole anything without returning it, so there's no need to press any kind of charges. In fact, I'm closing the case for good." Then, he walked away.

Shinichi returned outside, where one of the paramedics from before was waiting. "Are you Shinichi?"

Shinichi nodded, a frown on his face. "Yes, is something wrong with Kaito?"

The paramedic agreed. "H-he won't leave without you at his side. Can you come with me?" She ushered Shinichi in the ambulance, and they quickly began driving.

Kaito's indigo eyes partially opened. "Shin-shin…" he mumbled softly. "I'm sorry for ruining the plan; this was meant for us to relax and have fun…" He returned to his unconsciousness and remained that way as the doctors ushered him inside for an emergency surgery.

The next few hours were some of the most painful for Shinichi. He obviously wasn't allowed inside the operation room, so he paced around the small waiting area until three in the morning when the doors finally opened. He quickly rushed to the doctor. "How is he? Will he be alright?"

The doctor smiled. "Yes, Kuroba-san will recover in a few days. Make sure he stays in bed and doesn't try to overwork himself, okay?"

Shinichi thanked him and made his way to Kaito's room before being stopped by a nurse.

"You should go to a hotel and sleep, you know," she told him. "We can take care of him just fine."

Shinichi protested. "I doubt he'd sleep well being alone; I _have_ to be with him."

Eventually, the nurse agreed and opened the door. "I suppose I can let you stay; you look quite trustworthy and caring."

Shinichi went inside and made his way to Kaito's bedside. He was hooked up to a lot of machines and such and his wound still bled some, but he'd recover with time. He remained awake and caring for Kaito until early the next morning when his sleepiness was too much. He stumbled over to a small couch and was out in seconds.

X

Aoko groaned when seeing her father sitting at the table the next morning barely awake. "Tou-san, you didn't sleep again, did you? And I had plans for us to go out!"

Ginzo yawned. "Sorry, Aoko, you know there was a Kid heist last night…"

Aoko frowned. "Speaking of which, I heard Kid got shot last night by someone that wasn't in the police. Aren't you going to see if he's okay?"

Ginzo's eyes widened. "Oh, um…" He wasn't sure what to say; after all, his daughter could be quite dangerous when mad. "I have things to do at work today. Why don't you go see him? I heard he was in room 603 at the Nagasaki Hospital." He handed his daughter money for the flight and hurried out of the room.

Aoko quirked an eyebrow. "I suppose it would be interesting seeing this phantom thief that's been causing my father so much grief." With a shrug, she grabbed her purse and left for Nagasaki, unaware of what would be in store for her when she arrived.

Many miles away, Shinichi slowly awoke due to a soft touch. He opened his eyes and saw the nurse from before placing a blanket over him.

"Oh, sorry, Kudou-kun," she whispered, "I couldn't help but notice how tired you looked. Were you awake all night caring for Kuroba-san?"

Shinichi smiled sleepily. "Yeah, I had to make sure he was doing okay."

The nurse lightly placed a hand on Shinichi's forehead. "Now you can rest; I can take good care of him for you."

Shinichi thanked her and returned to a doze.

The nurse sighed in relief. "Thank goodness…now I can give Kuroba-san a thorough examination without him hovering over me." She removed Kaito's blanket. "Hm, he's still bleeding a bit; I guess that's expected." She wrapped a fresh bandage around Kaito's abdomen and gave him an acetaminophen pill before quietly leaving.

Not surprisingly, Shinichi only slept for another hour before getting back up to make sure Kaito was doing okay. He had just placed a cool cloth on Kaito's burning forehead when a quiet knock on the door startled him. Since he knew it wasn't a nurse, he partially opened the door. "Who is it?"

Aoko's eyes widened. "K-Kudou-kun, what are you doing here? My dad said this was Kaitou Kid's hospital room and had me come in his stead to check on him!"

Shinichi winced. "Ah, well…" He fully opened the door for Aoko to see the person occupying the hospital bed. "It is."

Aoko paled. "Kaito…is Kaitou Kid?" She put a hand over her mouth. "That makes sense, but…he looks so bad. What happened to him?"

Shinichi gestured for her to sit on the couch beside him with a sigh. "You probably heard about my latest case, right? Well, I recently found out the culprit for that is also the culprit from two other cases I haven't solved, and he has some sort of grudge against me. Kaito took me to his heist last night so we could have some time off, and we found out Arsené Lupin III was there too. I thought the evening would be quite fun until there was a gunshot. I'm surprised I didn't see where he got shot, but I know he'll be fine soon. I tried looking for the culprit that disguised as Lupin, but he was gone."

Aoko looked sadly at Kaito. "Wow, I feel so awful for him…but he's going to get it when he recovers, _that's_ for sure." Her eyes blazed for a moment before resting on Shinichi. "Has he even regained consciousness since it happened?"

Shinichi shook his head. "I figured he would, but I guess it was pretty bad. For now, I'm just going to let him be." He paused. "If I can't show up at classes tomorrow, could you explain what happened to the professors? I think they'd understand."

Aoko agreed and started to leave before stopping, her face bright-red. "C-could you give this to Kaito when he wakes up?" She reached in her purse and pulled out a small box of chocolate. "Tell him to call me too."

Shinichi thanked her and returned his focus on Kaito. He looked far too pale and sweaty for his liking, so Shinichi decided to try and wake him. Surprisingly, he did.

"Shin-shin, whazgoinon?" His slur was so heavy that it appeared that he was hardly conscious. "Did somethin' happen to me? Why am I so dizzy an' weak?"

Shinichi sat at his bedside with a sigh. "Your heist didn't really go as planned, Kaito… That guy that I'm after shot you."

Kaito's eyes widened as reality hit, making him gasp in pain as his head pounded. "Are you okay, Shin-shin? Did he hurt you too?"

Shinichi gave a reassuring smile. "No, I'm just fine, but how are _you_? After all, you just took a bullet to the stomach! Do you think you can leave by tomorrow, or do I need to make arrangements to stay at a hotel for a few days?"

Kaito tried to sit up, but a sharp pain made him cry out through clenched teeth as he fell back onto his pillows. He silently cursed. "Sorry, Shin-shin, I don't know if I can."

Shinichi waved it off before an idea struck him. He pulled out his phone and dialed Ai's number. "Haibara, I have a question concerning your painkiller."

Ai huffed. "Well, it seems you're recovered from that crash of yours. Are you wondering how long you should be taking it?"

Shinichi denied. "No, I was wondering if Kaito could take it to help his body. You see, he was kind of shot in the stomach by the guy I'm after and can't even sit up."

For some odd reason, Ai chuckled a bit. "Would you mind sending a picture of Kuroba-kun's wound for me to analyze? If it's serious enough, then he can take that painkiller but not so if it's fairly minor."

Shinichi thanked her and hung up. "Okay, Kaito, the mad scientist wants to see your injury for experiments." He couldn't help but try to improve the magician's most-likely-bad mood.

Kaito laughed quietly and lifted up the blanket. "Do you think she wants it without the bandages?"

Shinichi shook his head, a smirk on his lips. "No, she knows enough to tell where your injury is." He took the picture, noticing Kaito's eyes trying to hide a hint of fear. He knew he probably wouldn't get an answer but had to ask. "Kaito, is something wrong? You look nervous about something."

Kaito averted his gaze. "I-I'm just a bit concerned about my injury, that's all." After a moment's silence, he pulled the blanket over himself with a long yawn. "Okay, I need to go back to sleep. Let me know if you need anything." He closed his eyes and began to softly snore.

Shinichi pursed his lips as the image sent. "I know he was lying to me; he's probably worried about that attack having an effect on me." He placed a cloth on Kaito's forehead and was almost in a doze on the couch when his phone buzzed. Groaning, he pulled it out and read the text message.

 _Yes, give him the painkiller immediately. That should be enough to help him with sitting up and such so you can get him home; I know you're worried about missing classes again._

Shinichi rolled his eyes. _Thanks, Haibara, and you know it's not just classes I'm worried about right now!_

There wasn't a response, so Shinichi got up and slipped the pill into Kaito's mouth before returning to the sofa and falling into a light sleep for two hours until the nurse from before quietly entered.

She apologized when seeing the half-asleep Shinichi sitting up. "Sorry, Kudou-kun, I didn't realize you were sleeping. Has Kuroba-san woken at all?"

Shinichi nodded. "I had woken him for a bit, but he went back to sleep after a few minutes. Why? Do you need to do something?"

She agreed. "I need to see how he's recovering and if he's well enough to leave by tomorrow since I remember him saying last night that you had classes and such to worry about." She moved to Kaito's bedside and lightly shook him. "Kuroba-san, please wake up."

Kaito moaned and blearily opened his eyes. "What's up?" he mumbled as he tried to force himself awake. "Did something happen?"

The nurse smiled. "No, I just need to see how you're recovering. Can you sit up?" She helped Kaito do so, and both she and Shinichi were surprised to see he could with back support.

"Wow, I guess I'm better than I thought!" Kaito laughed a bit.

Even if he was blushing, Shinichi held Kaito's hand and looked to the nurse. "Can he leave tonight? It'd probably be better if he could recover at home."

The nurse sighed. "Well, I suppose he could…" She turned to Kaito. "But you can _not_ leave your bed for at _least_ a week. If you need anything, let this kind young man know about it, okay?" She gave Shinichi the release forms and left.

Kaito grinned. "Shall we go, Mr. Kind-Young-Man?"

Shinichi ignored the nickname and helped Kaito into a wheelchair. After dropping off the release forms, they went to the nearest bus stop to get to the airport and on the next flight home to Beika.

Kaito was about to fall asleep when he noticed Shinichi with an amused expression, his hand in his jacket pocket. "What's got you so happy, Shin-shin?"

Shinichi pulled out a small box of chocolates and gave it to Kaito. "Aoko came while you were still passed out and said that this was for you and that you need to call her later."

Kaito's eyes held embarrassment, happiness, and a hint of sadness before he closed them. "I guess she knows about me too now, doesn't she?"

Shinichi agreed before a yawn escaped his mouth. "We should be getting some sleep tonight; I'll see if I can get someone to take care of you while I'm at my classes tomorrow." He curled up under his blanket and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Kaito, however, was too nervous to sleep. He knew he should since he was injured, but he would never be able to forgive himself if something happened to Shinichi.

An hour into the flight, Shinichi's phone rang. Kaito saw it was an unlisted number, and his mouth went dry. "Hello?" He chose to use Shinichi's voice.

"Ah, hello, _Cool Guy_ , I thought you'd be awake!" It was Vermouth again. "Why are you awake so late though? Little kids need their sleep, you know!"

Kaito thought of what Shinichi would say. "You know I get busy," he replied in a bored tone. "What do you even want at this time of night? It must be important with you calling at a time like this."

Vermouth giggled. "You do bring up a good point. It _is_ relating to that case you've been working on…I heard that thief you're always after was injured and that it was Lupin III instead of Gin." She stopped with a gasp. "Oh, I almost forgot! I also heard that there was a Gin spotting in Nagasaki a few hours ago. Isn't that a little odd? It's almost as if they're starting to target those close to you…"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hooray, more Vermouth foreshadowing~ But anyway, I apologize for uploading a few hours later than I intended-I may have had no school today since it's "spring break," but I was reading other people's adorable fanfics all day...oh, I digress. I have also been writing a LOT lately (beating my record of 6000 words in a day by 37!), so my brain's getting kinda messed up. Ah well, I guess that's what I get for writing almost 40K words in about two** **-and-a-half weeks. Seriously, that is NOT normal. XD** _ **  
**_

 **I also apologize for those of you that must have been disappointed with the so-called heist I made; I knew it was a trap to begin with and should have expressed the actual "heist-ness" more before having that gunshot. Well, I suppose I can work that out more in my next project~**

 **Oops, forgot to thank you guys for the support. I guess my brain's just that messed up... XD**


	33. Surprise 32: Secret Confessions?

Surprise Thirty-Two: Secret Confessions?

Kaito stayed awake for the rest of the flight having something close to a panic attack. He had already been nervous about Shinichi being targeted, but that phone call made it certain that he'd have to keep his guard up. As he began having a mental breakdown, Shinichi awoke.

"K-Kaito?" Shinichi's eyes widened. "What happened? Was there another case?"

Since the plane was starting to land, Kaito merely shook his head and waited for them to be home before letting it out, balling and tightly embracing Shinichi. "They're coming, Shin-shin! They've hurt me so I can let my guard down, and they're going to take you away from me!"

Startled, Shinichi could only hug the magician back. "I won't let them get me," he whispered, "and I sure as heck won't let them get to you again." He managed to reduce Kaito's wails to quiet sobs.

"But Shin-shin," Kaito hiccuped as he and Shinichi snuggled in the bed, "what will we do about your classes? We'll both be in danger if we're alone!" He rested his head on Shinichi's chest.

Shinichi smiled and stroked Kaito's hair. "You don't need to worry about that; I can figure out what needs to be done."

Softly mumbling something, Kaito closed his eyes and finally fell into a doze. Shinichi remained awake for a few more hours listening to Kaito's snoring while running through his thoughts. He figured Kaito must have seen or heard something to make him freak out the way he did, but his tired mind couldn't process long enough to figure out exactly what.

When Shinichi awoke two hours later, it was already seven, so he called Aoko to tell the professors that he'd be staying home to care for Kaito. She could tell Shinichi was tired and told him to get some rest as well. As he was putting his phone away, Kaito stirred.

"Shin-shin, aren't you going to your classes?" Kaito asked, his indigo eyes slowly fluttering open. "I know you hate missing them."

Shinichi laughed. "That may be so, but helping you recover is far more important to me."

Kaito frowned as he closely eyed Shinichi. "You look pretty worn down yourself. Did you sleep enough last night?"

Shinichi waved it off as he stood up to stretch. "I got a bit of sleep; coffee should keep me up. Do you need anything?"

Kaito began to blush and quickly pulled up his blanket to hide it. "Um, I guess some breakfast would be nice. Can you cook though?"

Shinichi grinned. "Don't worry; I can make a few things! Just wait here, and I'll get you some scrambled eggs and a cup of mocha." He made his way downstairs and managed to make a decent-looking meal. As he slowly returned to his room, he noticed the sound of typing. He peeked in and saw Kaito sitting up in bed and typing on the laptop. Shinichi huffed. "Kaito, you know you're supposed to be resting, right?"

Kaito hastily put the laptop away and flushed a bit. "Sorry, I had to do something…" His gaze turned to the tray Shinichi was setting on the nightstand, and he snickered. "So you _can_ cook then!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I already told you I can, _ba'arou_. Now eat before it gets cold." He sat back down, and a yawn slipped from his mouth.

Kaito smiled as he grabbed the mocha. "You should sleep if you're that tired, Shin-shin; you're not meant to have short amounts of sleep like me! I'll be fine being alone for a little while."

Rubbing a hand over his eyes, Shinichi denied. "No, I can just drink my coffee and be fine…" He drank half of his mug, but the lethargy didn't let up.

Kaito shook his head and clucked his tongue. "Shin-shin, you know you can't take care of me if you're that tired! Just take a nap, and I'll go back to this _delicious_ mocha."

Shinichi sighed. "I guess I don't have much of a choice. I'll get some sleep, but I'm staying in here." He curled up on the end of the bed and fell into a doze.

Kaito ruffled his hair with a smirk. "There, that's better! Now back to _that_ …" He carefully picked up the laptop and opened up what he had been working on—a letter to Shinichi. He finished writing after another half hour and read it over.

"Okay, maybe this isn't as easy as I thought." He grimaced and closed out of the document. Looking at the sleeping detective, a sigh escaped Kaito's lips. "So how am I supposed to now, my _Tantei-kun_? After all, I'm dying to tell you…"

X

Kaito was too nervous to sleep the entire morning, so he kept rewriting his letter until Shinichi groggily sat up a few hours later. "Kaito?" he mumbled. "Did you sleep at all?"

Kaito shook his head. "Nah, I'll be fine! How about you though? That nap helped a lot, didn't it?"

Shinichi yawned and nodded. "Yeah, I guess it did." He took a moment to wake up more and noticed Kaito was on the laptop again. "Kaito, why in the world do you even need that right now?"

Kaito hesitated, which was odd for him. "Um, well…" He mentally argued with himself before deciding to tell him. "Alright, I'll tell you. I was going to make a letter so it'd be easier on me to explain, but it wouldn't turn out right."

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you saying, Kaito? Did something happen on the plane after all?"

Turning away from Shinichi, Kaito looked down at the floor and closed his eyes. "Yes, that's part of what happened. While you were sleeping on the plane, that Vermouth lady called and said how Gin had been spotted in Nagasaki a few hours prior, meaning there's a high chance he'll come after you now that I'm pretty much out of the way."

Shinichi stopped him by bringing up a good point. "But Kaito, you're going to recover in a few days! He wouldn't be dumb enough to risk it after that."

Kaito let out a shaky sigh and slowly pulled up his shirt. "My injury's bad, Shinichi." He had gone completely serious, and the detective knew that. "None of the doctors or nurses seemed to notice, but I did. I was shot in my _lung_."

Shinichi blanched. "Kaito, you're not serious, are you? There's no way you would have lasted that long without something like a chest tube to help you breathe!"

"I-I'm not exactly sure myself," he admitted quietly. "I think it may be because of that medicine you asked Scientist-san about. Doesn't it have really weird healing things in it?"

Shinichi frowned. "Well, yeah, it has some things to help me with my condition, but do you really think it helped you enough to sit up and talk for long periods of time?"

Kaito shrugged. "I don't know," he whispered. "All I do know is that it gets really bad sometimes as if the medicine is wearing off, and I don't know if I'll be able to recover from it."

Shinichi placed a hand on Kaito's shoulder. "Can't we just take you to a hospital for surgery then? They can help you recover from it."

Kaito shook his head. "I know you have classes, and you'd miss school in a heartbeat to help me out. I'll just keep taking Scientist-san's painkiller and see how it goes." He paused as if he had something else to say but instead leaned back against the headboard of Shinichi's bed and opened his eyes to see a worrying Shinichi.

"Kaito, you can't just stay like that with a lung injury!" Tears began to fill his eyes. "You're going to get worse when I can't help you, and then…" He put a hand over his mouth and let out a choked sob.

Kaito smiled. "I'll be fine, Shin-shin; I can let you know if anything gets worse, okay?" He placed his hand over Shinichi's and sank into his pillows. "If you want, you can ask for advice while I get some sleep—I'm exhausted."

Still emotional about the situation, Shinichi called Ai while Kaito finally slept. "H-Haibara, are you busy? I need you to come over _now_." He struggled to keep his voice from shaking.

Ai deeply sighed. "What now, Kudou-kun? What happened to Kuroba-kun?" She opened her web browser and looked at the most recent news. "Oh, so he was shot? I see here that someone disguised as Lupin III did it too…"

Unable to realize she meant Kaitou Kid, Shinichi agreed. "But I didn't find out until today that he was shot in the lung, and I doubt he's doing very well. Do you think you could come take a look at him? He doesn't want to go back to the hospital since he knows I'd be missing classes to take care of him."

Ai thought about it. "I suppose I can come take a look… I'll be there in half an hour." Shinichi thanked her, and she hung up. "Hakase, I'm going to Kudou-kun's again!" She was almost to the door when Professor Agasa stopped her.

"Ai-kun, let me go too; I'm worried about those boys." His face was filled with worry.

Ai opened the door, gesturing for him to follow her. "Alright, you can come. But don't even _think_ about doing more than necessary." They ran—or half-tripped in Agasa's case—and eventually arrived at the Kudou home, where Shinichi was waiting on the porch.

"Oh, you're here!" Shinichi quickly opened the door. "Kaito's asleep in my room; it's best if he's like that while you go through with your tests and such."

Ai took a glance at Shinichi to see how he was recovering before nodding to herself and entering the house. Professor Agasa remained outside and tightly hugged Shinichi. "Shinichi-kun, I was worried when Ai-kun told me of your crash, and now this right after…"

Shinichi patted him on the back. "I'm fine, Hakase! It took me a couple days to bounce back, but I don't think Kaito's situation will be the same." He pointed inside the house. "If you want, you can see him while Haibara's doing her thing."

Professor Agasa agreed and was led upstairs. Ai was just taking the bandages off of Kaito, who looked rather pale and sweaty as his face contorted in pain. "Wow, he does look really bad…"

Ai suddenly froze as she saw the gunshot wound. "Kudou-kun, come look at this." Her voice sounded surprisingly calm despite her wide eyes.

Shinichi knew something was wrong and came over. He looked down at the injury and blanched. "N-no way…then that means…" He stood up straight. "Haibara, do what you can to treat that injury while I go find out about that." He ran out of the room and to his dad's office, not realizing Professor Agasa secretly followed behind to see for himself what was going on.

"Come on, where is it?" He searched through numerous news feeds before finding the one he was looking for. "There! So it's true then. How am I supposed to tell him?" He began to search through his thoughts before realizing someone was behind him. "Agasa-hakase, why did you follow me?" He turned the desk chair around with a sigh.

Professor Agasa sheepishly stepped into the room. "I was just surprised at the sudden commotion, Shinichi-kun; I had to see what was going on. In case you forgot, I'm not as smart as you and Ai-kun when it comes to things like that!"

Shinichi gave a small smile. "I guess you have a point." He paused. "Did you see the article here?" He moved aside and pointed at the monitor.

Professor Agasa moved forward to read the headline, and his eyes widened. "Someone did that? I hadn't heard of a story like that in decades!" He gasped. "Oi, you aren't thinking that person caused Kaito-kun's injury, do you?"

Shinichi slowly nodded. "Yes, I do believe it's true. The only problem is how I should explain all this to him…"

X

Ai and Professor Agasa stayed until late that evening when they noticed Shinichi could barely stay awake. "Well, we should be leaving you two," Ai stated as she stood up from Kaito's bedside. "If anything worsens with Kuroba-kun, let me know, and I'll see what I can do. As for you, _get some sleep_." Crossing her arms, she huffed to herself and walked out, the professor lumbering behind her with a warm smile.

As soon as they left, Kaito's indigo eyes popped open. "Are they gone yet?"

Shinichi sighed. "Yes, they're gone, but why were you fake sleeping? I'll bet you Haibara noticed that and will ask me about it."

Kaito slowly adjusted himself to an upright position. "Sorry, I had to see what was up with me without letting her know I was awake…" He trailed off as he remembered something. "Speaking of which, what happened that made you run out of here for a bit?"

Shinichi winced—Kaito could tell it wasn't good. "So you managed to hear all that. Well, let's just say I know now how the doctors at the hospital didn't notice your lung injury."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin, are you saying it was one of the doctors or nurses that purposely made the others ignore it? That's absurd!"

Shinichi pulled out his phone and opened the article. "Here, read this; it should explain enough for you to understand what I mean." He watched Kaito's face slowly whiten as he broke out in a sweat.

"So that person was actually one of _them_?" He handed the phone back to Shinichi, his voice quiet as he struggled to remain calm. "What do you plan to do about it?"

Shinichi shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't do anything; they probably left that hospital by now and is planning their next attack on us. If I tried to ask Takagi-keiji or Sato-keiji, they could only send out a search and hope for leads. Besides, there's probably tons of officers around Japan searching for them since they're so dangerous."

Kaito frowned. "Couldn't you tell them of their last whereabouts? Doesn't that help them track criminals?"

Shinichi ran a hand through his hair. "I probably could, but that's just one lead to follow that will probably get them to a dead end. For now though, we both need some sleep; I have classes tomorrow." He started to leave the room when Kaito suddenly cried out.

"Wait, Shin-shin!" Kaito grabbed Shinichi's hand before biting his lip. "Be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you because…because I love you." His face began to burn from fear and embarrassment.

Shinichi's expression saddened. "Kaito, I-I love you too; I would risk my life in a heartbeat to keep you safe from _them_. I knew you felt the same way but not as strongly as you're showing me now."

Kaito gave a teary grin. "Want to be my boyfriend?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "You're going to make it a big deal, aren't you? You'll let the world know about it before I get used to it."

Kaito took that as a yes and kissed Shinichi. "There, it's official—the magician thief and detective are now even closer! This is perhaps the best birthday gift ever…"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Awww, they finally confessed their love for each other with another stupid cliffhanger to make everyone cry some more~ *ahem* Anyway, I feel quite happy with this so far, and I'm glad you readers are enjoying it~ This fanfic will end soon (kinda not really), but I hope you all will be prepared for quite the surprise...after all, life's full of surprises! *sees everyone walk away* Darn, I knew I shouldn't have done that. I used to be really good at making puns, but I magically grew horrible at it. Whatever. Again, glad you all enjoy the story~  
**


	34. Surprise 33: Telling the Truth?

**Author's Pre-Note: Wait, am I suddenly updating three days early? Yes, I am! That's because I'm not sure if I can get the rest of this uploaded by the time I leave for my dad's in June (I'm gone for two months). I won't be able to update/upload anything during that time, and I would hate if you all would have to wait so long just to get a few chapters. So I'm going to upload more frequently since this story's already completed, and in August, I will start uploading Preventing the Truth, my next project! I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's...interesting~**

* * *

Surprise Thirty-Three: Telling the Truth?

The next morning, Shinichi woke earlier than normal and pulled out his phone.

The person yawned. "Hello? What do you want so early, Shinichi?"

"Can you come to my place today and take care of Kaito for me? I already missed yesterday's classes and don't want to miss any more."

The person took a moment to think. "I don't mind, but what happened? It sounds pretty serious to me."

Shinichi quietly agreed. "Yeah, it's bad…you see, Kaito was shot by the serial killer I'm after. He was told to stay in bed for a few days, but I doubt he would with no one to watch him."

The person understood. "Okay, I'll be there soon. Um, make sure not to overwork yourself; try to stay _away_ from cases for a while!"

Shinichi laughed. "I can't really stop them from coming, Ran—all I can do is reveal the trick and culprit."

Ran sighed. "I suppose you're right…" They kept light conversation for a few minutes until Shinichi heard Kaito mumbling in his sleep.

"Well, I'd better make sure Kaito's doing alright. Thanks for the help." He hung up and went to his room, where Kaito appeared to be in another nightmare. He wanted to comfort the poor magician, but a strange feeling in his chest prevented him from doing so.

 _Right…I_ knew _I'd take time to get used to the fact that we're dating now._ He silently cursed to himself. _But right now he needs me!_ He took a deep breath and shook Kaito. "Kaito, are you okay?"

Kaito's eyes popped open as he gasped for breath. He quickly sat up to embrace Shinichi, ignoring the sharp pain that came as a result. "Shin-shin, why am I having nightmares about Kenichi again? I only have them around the time of the anniversary, and that's already over with…"

Shinichi hesitated. He didn't feel Kaito was ready to hear it but knew he had to tell him eventually. "Well…I guess you can sense what happened."

Kaito froze, his face turning deathly pale as tears began to slide down his face. "I-I was right? That picture r-really was him, and y-you were trying to s-solve it the whole time. W-Why didn't you t-tell me, Shin-shin?" He tightened his grip around the detective.

Remaining still, Shinichi's expression saddened. "I knew you wouldn't be ready if I told you so soon," he whispered. "I wanted to wait until I solved it before telling you, but…"

Kaito removed himself from the hug and looked Shinichi in the eye. "I-I understand, Shinichi; I wouldn't have been able to handle it before." He was surprisingly calm as he smiled a bit. "Thank you for telling me. Now don't you have school to get ready for?"

Shinichi nodded, relieved that Kaito wasn't completely unstable, and was at the doorway when he stopped. "Are you going to be okay without me here?"

Kaito grinned. "I'll be fine…unless you _wanna_ stay here~"

Blushing furiously, Shinichi was quite speechless and was saved when the doorbell rang. "Ran's going to be here to help take care of you; let her know if you need anything." He quickly left to avoid the awkwardness of Kaito's flirting.

"Ah, good morning, Shinichi!" Ran seemed cheery as always when greeting him but noticed he seemed a bit off. "Um, are you okay?" She couldn't help but ask as her face grew concerned.

Shinichi immediately denied. "No, I'm just wondering how Kaito will be today!" He knew there was no way he could tell _Ran_ that he was dating Kaito—especially since they just started the previous night. He thanked her again for coming and told her where the medicines were before heading off to class, thankful for a distraction.

Ran frowned, for she could almost always tell when Shinichi was lying. "There's something he's not telling me…" She made her way upstairs to see Kaito sitting up in Shinichi's bed with a grin on his face. "Oh, hello, Kaito, you look rather happy about something."

Kaito snickered; he didn't think Ran would be the first person to find out. "Of course I'm happy, Ran-san, because Shin-shin just agreed to be my boyfriend!"

X

Ran was happy to see Kaito in such a good mood and a bit surprised at how easily he napped that afternoon—after all, he would have been bouncing off the walls if not for his injury. Since she knew Shinichi had a break between his morning and afternoon classes, she decided to call him.

"What's up, Ran?" Shinichi let out an exasperated sigh. "Is Kaito giving you trouble?"

Ran giggled. "No, he's actually asleep right now. I have a couple questions for you, Shinichi…are you doing okay? You sound exhausted."

Shinichi smiled. "I'm fine; I'm just a bit tired since I was awake for a while last night."

Ran hesitated before asking the second question. "Um, are you… _are you dating Kaito_?"

Shinichi groaned, a blush rising to his cheeks. "So he told you. Why am I not surprised?" He huffed. "But I guess it would have seemed strange for him to be so happy after being shot."

Ran agreed. "And I—I'm happy for you too, Shinichi; I can tell he comforts you and that you care for him as much as he does you."

Just then, a frantic voice began talking to Shinichi. "Ran, I have to go, okay? Keep an eye on Kaito until I get home tonight." He kept his voice as level as possible and quickly hung up. "Where is she?" He turned his gaze to the classmate that had approached him.

She shakily pointed into a large crowd in the courtyard, and Shinichi rushed to see what happened. Just as the student had said, a girl was lying on the ground bleeding from the back of her head. Shinichi felt his mouth go dry. "Oi, are you alright?"

The girl stirred. "Kudou-kun?" she whispered, her mind foggy.

Recognizing the voice, Shinichi helped the girl sit up and was shocked to see it was indeed Aoko. "Nakamori-san, what happened? Who did this to you?"

Aoko looked up at the sky as her vision began to blur. "I'm not sure myself… I was sitting at the bench when my head really hurt." Her eyes began to close, but Shinichi shook her.

"Stay with me, Nakamori-san!" Making a phone signal to the crowd, he continued questioning her while the police and ambulance were being notified. "Nakamori-san, did you see who attacked you?"

Aoko remembered a story her dad told her about a dark organization that the young detective had been involved too much with and how much he suffered. Tears sliding down her face, she lied that it was probably just a tree branch and allowed herself to slip out of consciousness.

Ten minutes later, the ambulance and two police officers—coincidentally Takagi and Sato—arrived, and Aoko was taken away to the hospital. Sato sighed when seeing Shinichi. "Why is it that almost every case somehow has you involved?"

Still deep in thought, Shinichi merely shrugged and focused his attention on the scene. He had already looked twice, but there was no tree branch (or anything, for that matter) large enough to cause that much damage. _That means there are two possibilities, one being more likely than the other._ He put a hand to his chin. _She could have been lying and knew who her attacker was, or she was telling the truth and didn't know. But why would she lie to me?_ A dark image formed in his mind, and he turned to the officers. "Hey, how many of you do you think were told about that case I dealt with for two years?"

Takagi frowned. "Well, I only remember us in Division One being told by Jodie-san before she left for America…"

Sato interrupted. "Takagi-kun, didn't she go see Division Two as well? I remember that one officer fainting when he found out."

Takagi agreed with her before looking at Shinichi, who wore a sad expression. "Why do you ask, Kudou-kun? Is it going to help you with solving this girl's attack?"

Shinichi waved it off and was about to respond when his phone chimed. He pulled it out and saw it was an email from Jodie. "Sorry, I need to see this." He moved to a shaded area of the courtyard away from everyone and read the message:

 _Hi, Cool Kid!_

 _I'm very sorry that I could not get to you; I was busy with a case here in America. Now I am on my way back to Japan, and I am planning on speaking with you in person about that case. You can meet me at the Beika Airport tonight at about midnight._

 _See you soon!_

 _~Jodie Starling_

Shinichi cursed. "That's going to be messy trying to get out of the house tonight…" He ran a hand through his hair and noticed a familiar yellow Volkswagen Beetle pulling up. Sure enough, Professor Agasa had made his way there. "Hakase, what are you doing here?"

Professor Agasa chuckled and gave Shinichi a pat on the back. "I heard the cop cars go by my house and figured you were involved with it again, so I came here. Ai-kun is at school right now, so she doesn't know about it yet." He paused to look at Shinichi closely. "Are you okay, Shinichi-kun? You look like something's bothering you."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah, I'm trying to solve the attack that just happened, and I was also given a request by Jodie-sensei to speak with her but can't get out of the house with Kaito in the condition he's in. I can't really tell him either since he'd find a way to try and come with."

Professor Agasa hummed. "If it's that important, I could keep an eye on him for you."

Shinichi thought about it. "What about Haibara?" he inquired. "She'd know if you left without telling her and be all over Kaito…" Unable to hide a blush, he turned away.

Professor Agasa smiled. "I can make it work, Shinichi-kun; I'll see you at eleven-thirty!" He hugged Shinichi and returned to his Beetle, slowly driving away.

" _Ano_ , Kudou-kun?" Takagi nervously approached the detective. "I just got a message saying the victim has regained consciousness and wants to speak with you. Since it's a little ways there, would you mind me coming with?"

Shinichi took one last glance in the crowd and, seeing no one of interest, made his way to Takagi's patrol car.

Takagi couldn't help but note the small sigh that escaped Shinichi's lips. "Is something wrong?" he couldn't help but ask.

Shinichi shook his head. "I just need to figure out what to do right now—I didn't think Nakamori-san would be attacked so soon after…" He trailed off as a thought came to him. "Oh, were you guys told about what happened Saturday night?"

Takagi nodded. "Yes, we were informed of Kid's injury during his latest heist. I also remember Nakamori-keibu saying something about Kid's identity and closing the whole case."

Shinichi looked out the window to hide his expression. "Kaito is Kid, and he's not doing well physically. He insists nothing's wrong, but I can tell he's struggling. He won't go to a doctor about it either since he knows I'd miss classes to take care of him."

Takagi was speechless for a few moments. "W-Would he mind if I came to visit this evening? I want to see how he is for myself and possibly figure out a way for him to be treated."

Tension eased from Shinichi, and he let himself relax a bit. "Thank you, I'd greatly appreciate that." The car remained silent until they pulled up to the hospital.

"I have to stay here; you can find Nakamori-san in room 173." Takagi unlocked the door so Shinichi could leave.

Shinichi thanked him again and walked to Aoko's room, where she was sitting up in her bed with a reddish-white bandage wrapped around her head. "Oh, you're here!" She looked relieved to see him. "I was wondering if Kaito found out about this. Have you told him?"

"No, I haven't. Do you want me to?" Shinichi quirked an eyebrow.

Aoko quickly denied. "No, I don't want you to tell him until he's recovered." She frowned. "Speaking of recovery, how is he?"

Shinichi closed his eyes. "He's not good. He told me last night that he thinks he was shot in the lung, but none of the doctors or nurses seemed to notice or care."

Aoko paled. "Don't you die if you're shot in the lung?"

"Without the proper treatment, yes." Shinichi felt the conversation needed to be switched before it got _there_. "But what about you? I searched the scene, and all signs point to someone deliberately attacking you. Do you have any enemies?"

Aoko averted her gaze. "N-no, I don't."

Shinichi huffed. It was time to get straight to the point. "You were informed of why I disappeared for two years, weren't you? After all, your dad probably told you since he was so surprised that it happened to someone so young."

Aoko flinched—he was spot on. "I-I just didn't want to tell you, Kudou-kun; it sounds too dangerous for you to be involved with. That guy just _sounded_ evil when he was laughing over me."

Shinichi froze. "Do you know who that person was who attacked you?"

Sadly, Aoko did not. "All I know is that he was wearing solid black in the summertime and hit me with something big on the back of the head. I think his hair was the weirdest part though: it was long and silver."

Just then, Shinichi's phone rang. Silently cursing, he reluctantly answered. "Hello?"

"SHINICHI!" Well, it appeared Ran already knew what happened, and she was furious. "Where are you?! Tou-san said all of the nearby schools and colleges were dismissed early since a student was attacked." She gasped. "You _better_ not be involved in the investigation when you said yourself you wouldn't do it!"

Shinichi rubbed his temples. "Ran, I'm just seeing if she's okay; I'll be back in a bit. Does Kaito know about it?"

"Of _course_ he knows, it's not like he's been panicking for the last half hour!" Yup, she was _really_ mad. "Just hurry up and get home, will ya?"

" _Hai_ ," Shinichi mumbled before hanging up. "I think I need to go before she destroys my house. Will you be alright on your own?"

Aoko grinned. "Don't worry; my dad's coming after work to see me. Thank you for coming, Kudou-kun—I feel better telling you what I saw." She hugged Shinichi before he returned to Takagi.

"How is she?" he asked as he started the car. "Is she recovering okay?"

Shinichi leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "Yeah, she's fine. Do you think we could stop somewhere before my house? I need to pick up something."

Takagi agreed and began driving back to Beika, fully aware that the detective had dozed off when they stopped due to traffic. He could tell Shinichi was tired now that the adrenaline of his friend being attacked had worn out, so he let Shinichi sleep for the hour and a half they were stuck in traffic. "Um, Kudou-kun?" he finally spoke up. "Where are we going exactly?"

Shinichi stirred and opened his eyes. "You let me doze off?" He yawned and sat up. "Just stop in that new alley by the post office; I can walk the bit on my own." He looked outside as his thoughts wandered more than usual.

Takagi wanted to ask where he was going but chose it was best not to when seeing his distant expression—something was on his mind that wouldn't normally bother him. He drove to the alley and parked the car. "Will this take long?"

Shinichi smiled and opened the car door. "No, this should only take a few minutes." He stepped out and walked into a place he would never normally step foot in, hearing a quiet voice welcome him…

* * *

 **Author's Note: Oooh, another cliffhanger! I wonder where he went and what will happen...find out next time! *maniacally laughs* Anyways, I'm glad you all are enjoying the story thus far; it only gets more interesting from here~  
**


	35. Surprise 34: Taking a Chance?

Surprise Thirty-Four: Taking a Chance?

Shinichi returned a few minutes later with a sparkle in his eye and his hands in his jacket pockets. "Thanks, Takagi-keiji; we can go to my house now and see how Kaito's doing."

Takagi was curious as to what Shinichi needed to do that badly but knew he wouldn't get an answer. He silently backed out of the alley and made his way to the Kudou home, where Ran was angrily standing on the front porch.

"Where have you been?" she exclaimed. "You said you'd be home two hours ago!" She turned to Takagi. "I apologize for you having to deal with such a _burden_."

Takagi awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "It's not really his fault, Ran-san; we were stuck in the afternoon traffic for quite a while, and he had to do something before returning home."

Ran clucked her tongue. "What could be that important, Shinichi?"

Shinichi rolled his eyes and tossed a small, white box to her. "I was figuring you'd like this, so I got it." He gestured to Takagi, and the two went inside.

Ran opened the box and gasped. "Homemade chocolate…he went to that new café, didn't he? He took possible crime solving time to get me this." She smiled and held the box to her chest as she went to the kitchen to make dinner.

Takagi gave a low whistle. "Wow, he looks bad." Indeed, Kaito looked like death itself. His eyes were dark and hollow, his skin chalk-white and pouring with sweat. He took quick, shallow gasps of air as his frail body trembled. "And he doesn't want to go to a doctor about it?"

Shinichi shook his head sadly. "I know he really needs to, but he'd find a way out if he wants out." He winced when Kaito softly cried out in pain. "Is there a way we could possibly get a doctor here?"

Takagi thought about it. "Well, I suppose one of our doctors at headquarters could come if I explain the situation to Megure-keibu. I can bring him right away tomorrow morning."

Shinichi was so thankful he literally hugged Takagi, surprising the officer. "Thank you, Takagi-keiji; I owe you so much."

Takagi patted Shinichi on the head with a smile and left, noticing Ran seemed happier when making her way upstairs.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll stay here tonight in case something happens to Kaito; after all, you most likely will have classes tomorrow."

Shinichi agreed, and Ran pulled out two bowls of stew from behind her back. "Here, I made this for you two. If Kaito won't wake up, that's fine since he needs plenty of rest." She paused. "But he looks really bad. Shouldn't he be going to a doctor?"

"Takagi-keiji said he'll send a doctor here tomorrow morning," he explained. "I wanted Kaito to go back to a hospital, but he insists that he's fine and doesn't need anything just because I would miss classes to stay with him."

Ran sighed. "That stubbornness sounds rather familiar…but I suppose I can see where he's coming from." She yawned. "I think I should go to bed early tonight. Make sure to get some sleep too!" She gave a small wave and left.

Kaito stirred and opened his indigo eyes. "Shin-shin?" he mumbled. "Is that you? Where have you been? I was worried."

Shinichi smirked and gently stroked Kaito's hair. "I just had a bit of a case to deal with, that's all. I got stuck in traffic for a while too, but I did get Takagi-keiji to come see you. He agrees that you're really bad, so he's sending a doctor here tomorrow morning."

Kaito pouted. "But Shin-shin, does that mean you're missing classes again?"

Shinichi shook his head with a chuckle. "No, I'm still going to classes unless they're cancelled due to investiga…" His voice trailed off as he realized he said too much.

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin, something happened at campus? Who was it? Was it one of your classmates?" He gasped. "Was it _them_ again?"

Shinichi sat on the edge of the bed and closed his eyes. "I can't say who just yet, but there's a very high possibility that it was indeed them again. I tried my best to get something, but nothing for suspects came up again. For now though, we should worry more about your health." He handed Kaito one of the bowls of stew and a small, white box. "Ran made this for us, and you can open the box when you recover; it's a late birthday present."

After eating, Kaito was rubbing his eyes and yawning. "I'm sleepy…can you give me a goodnight kiss, Shin-shin?" He lied down and looked to Shinichi with his bottom lip out.

Shinichi's face turned bright red. "J-Just this once, okay? And please stop telling people about us dating; I told you I'd be uncomfortable about it." He bent down and gave Kaito a light peck on the cheek. "There, now get some sleep."

The magician quickly fell asleep, and Shinichi remained awake caring for him until he saw a car's headlights outside. Whispering a "sweet dreams," he made his way outside and into Professor Agasa's car.

"Thanks for doing this," he whispered. "I'm glad I can do this without leaving Kaito and Ran alone." He paused and turned to the backseat, where Ai was sitting with a smug look. "Haibara, what are you doing here?"

Ai rolled her eyes. "You should know that Hakase can't keep a secret very well. Besides, I'm going to see Kuroba-kun to check his condition while he drives you to your meeting."

Professor Agasa looked embarrassed. "Sorry, Shinichi-kun, I tried my best. Should we be heading to the airport?"

Ai stepped out of the car, and they were on their way to the airport. Shinichi felt like he'd fall asleep at any moment, but his curiosity and anxiety kept him going. Finally, they arrived and immediately saw Jodie standing next to a small, gray rental car.

"Good luck," Professor Agasa couldn't help but say to Shinichi as he nervously approached the FBI agent.

"Ah, good evening, _Cool Kid_!" Jodie was overly excited to see him as she wrapped him in an embrace. "It's been so long since I've seen you! But you look rather worn. Is something else troubling you besides this case?"

Shinichi hesitated. "Well, my friend was shot by the culprit in the lung and doesn't want to go to a hospital about it since I'd miss my classes to stay with him…I guess it's stressing me a little bit."

Jodie frowned. "I guess you'll be disappointed with what I have to say then. You see, I got your email and went to my files on the Organization right away. However, they all mysteriously disappeared. Since I was the one with the most data on them besides the missing Shuuichi, I chose to come back to Japan to search for some of the missing members like Gin and Vermouth."

Shinichi hummed. "Actually, I'm not very surprised. I'll bet their boss found out about it sooner than we thought and managed to hack into the database to delete everything before fleeing with some of his best members." He couldn't stop a long yawn from escaping, making him blush. "I probably need to get home. Thanks, Jodie-sensei." He returned to Agasa's car, not seeing the sad look on the former English teacher's face.

"So how was it? Did you find out anything important?" Professor Agasa put the car in reverse and began to back out.

Shinichi huffed and looked out the window. "I didn't get what I wanted, but I guess it's still information about them." He remained silent until arriving home before thanking the professor again and quietly heading upstairs.

"Ah, back so soon? I assume you didn't find what you wanted, right?" Ai sounded unsurprised as she placed a cloth on Kaito's forehead. "I guess it could be the same for me. Kuroba-kun looks like he's worsening, so I think we should take him to a hospital pronto."

Shinichi shook his head. "He doesn't want me to, Haibara; he thinks I'd miss classes to take care of him. Takagi-keiji came over earlier today and said he'd send a doctor here tomorrow morning, so that should help his situation somewhat."

Hiding a grin, Ai nodded. "Good." _Keep your boyfriend safe,_ she thought to herself before walking out and giving Kaito a pill. Shinichi stayed at Kaito's bedside the entire night caring for him and worrying about his two problems. When early morning rolled around, Ran was enraged to find him still awake.

"Shinichi, were you awake _all night_ even after I told you not to?!" she exclaimed. "You realize you have classes, don't you?"

Just then, Shinichi's phone rang. It was a message from the school saying classes were cancelled due to the police's investigation. He gave a tired smile. "See? They are closed today, so I can stay here with Kaito."

Ran's eyes narrowed as she put her hands on her hips. "Oh, no you're not; you're going to bed _now_ and sleeping." She forced him to the guest room and into bed. "Feels comfortable, doesn't it?"

Shinichi sighed and let his tension ease, his eyes slowly closing. "Feels great…" He quickly fell asleep, and Ran left to prepare for the doctor's arrival.

The doctor, named Takeru, came an hour later and was surprised to see Kaito's condition. "It appears he was shot in the lung, yet none of the staff at the Nagasaki Hospital noticed. I'll see what I can do." He spent the next three hours in the bedroom alone with Kaito and his equipment and was able to safely remove the bullet and put in an IV.

"Okay, it appears he should be fine in a few days. Make sure he rests plenty, has his head elevated, and eats and drinks enough. Take out the IV in 24 hours, and be sure to call me if anything worsens. Here's my number." He handed a business card to Ran, who looked extremely relieved to hear the news.

"Oh, thank you so much! How much do I owe you?"

The doctor laughed. "I was explained the situation by Takagi and Megure; you don't owe anything. Just be sure to help him recover!" Ran thanked him again, and he left. Meanwhile, Shinichi was stuck in another nightmare…

 _Shinichi and Kaito were at a nice restaurant, the latter insisting that they have a first date to make it official. Everything was peaceful and happy when someone suddenly grabbed Kaito, a gun pointed to his head._

 _"Don't make a move, brat," a low, familiar voice grumbled, "or I'll shoot."_

 _Shinichi knew he had a gun on him since Jodie insisted it for protection but knew he wouldn't be able to shoot. But how could he save Kaito? Someone distracted the man long enough for Shinichi to draw his gun, but he froze before he could shoot. Would he miss like before and accidentally hit Kaito? As he pulled the trigger, he shot awake in a pool of sweat and screamed in terror._

"Shinichi?" Ran rushed in and was shocked to see Shinichi looking so scared. "W-What happened? Did you see something?"

Shinichi pulled up his blanket to try and hide his trembling. "I-it was just a nightmare, Ran; you can go back to Kaito's room."

Ran frowned. "Shinichi, you're trembling." She sat down beside Shinichi and wrapped an arm around him, suddenly remembering a similar moment where he was terrified like this. "Um, Shinichi, did something happen to you during the time I was gone? I remember you were like this on the ship. Did you have a bad case or something?"

Shinichi hesitated. "Y-Yeah, I did. In simple terms, it was the one case I did not solve in time." He quietly explained the tragic death of Takamatsu Fujiko, sensing a feeling of great weariness when he finished.

Ran's eyes widened. "No offense, but I never would have thought that you did that before!"

Shinichi smirked. "I didn't either; I guess that's what I get for trying to do too much right after taking that antidote."

Ran could tell he was tired but too scared to try sleeping again. "Hey, do you want to see Kaito? That doctor came in a while ago, and he's starting to look better."

Shinichi slowly stood up. "Sure." He followed her to Kaito's bedside and saw she was right. The magician had an IV in him, and his skin had gained some color and fullness. There was a lot less sweat on his face, but his eyes were still dark. "Kaito?" He gently shook him.

Kaito moaned and opened his eyes. "Shin-shin, is that you? I thought you're supposed to be at classes." He was slurring a bit, which worried Shinichi.

"No, classes got cancelled so the police could investigate. I chose to stay here with you instead and rest up a bit." He could tell Ran left the room to do something, so he began to stroke Kaito's hair. "Are you okay? Is that IV helping anything?"

Kaito smiled. "I feel loads better, Shin-shin; I think that doctor saved me."

Shinichi frowned. "Does that mean you're admitting that you were _dying and didn't want to do anything about it_?"

Kaito could tell the detective was frustrated and sat up enough to hug him. "I'm really sorry, Shin-shin…I thought it'd be best to do that so you would still go to class. I didn't realize you were so worried about me."

Shinichi wiped tears from his eyes. " _Ba'arou_ , why wouldn't I worry about you? After all, you were so close to death I could sense it in the room."

Kaito's eyes widened as a thought struck him. "Shin-shin, was that why you screamed earlier? Did you have another nightmare about me being hurt? You know I'm stronger than I appear!"

Shinichi shook his head with a laugh. "It's fine, Kaito; it will get better as you recover. For now though, I think we both need some sleep." He started to get up, but Kaito pulled him for a kiss.

"Wouldn't it be the perfect crime if I stole your heart and you stole mine~" There he went again with the cheesy pick-up lines. "After all, we're halfway there."

Shinichi's face burned. He hoped that Ran wouldn't come in and see this…

"Kudou-kun, are you with Kuroba-kun?" It was Takagi. "I'm coming up."

Shinichi tried to move away from Kaito, but he was too slow; the phantom thief had snatched his arms and kissed him again long enough for Takagi to see. It was quite the interesting scene: one with an expression of utter shock, another with an expression of deep embarrassment, and the last with an expression of great amusement.

"Hello, Takagi-keiji!" Kaito wore the biggest grin on his face. "I see you came at a good time for me to explain some things."

Shinichi elbowed him, a strong blush still on his face. "I _told_ you I'd be uncomfortable for a while, Bakaito!"

Kaito snickered. "This will help you grow used to it then!" He wrapped an arm around Shinichi and looked to Takagi. "We're dating!"

Takagi was speechless for a moment—after all, he never thought Shinichi would date someone as…different as Kaito. He was silent for so long that Shinichi was about to smack Kaito for even bringing it up. "I-I guess I'm happy for you two; you seem to help each other a lot through all that's been going on."

Shinichi relaxed a little. "Thanks, Takagi-keiji. Um, can you please not tell anyone about this yet? I don't want the whole world knowing right away."

Takagi nodded. He knew very well how that felt. "So Kuroba-kun, how are you feeling? Takeru-san said he did some work on you this morning." He turned his attention back to Kaito.

Kaito leaned back and closed his eyes. "I feel a lot better. I don't know what that doctor did besides the IV, but I can tell it's working miracles." He yawned. "The only thing I need to do for the next few days is rest up, and then I can start worrying about Shin-shin again!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I'm not _that_ reckless, am I?"

Kaito rested his head on Shinichi's shoulder with a chuckle. "I suppose it depends on the situation, doesn't it?" There was a slight pause before quiet snores came from Kaito's mouth.

Takagi smirked. "It's good that you're here for him, Kudou-kun; I actually thought you'd be at campus helping with the investigation, so I came to see if everything was going okay."

Shinichi frowned. "Speaking of that, how is it? Have you found anything interesting?"

Sadly, Takagi denied. "We've found little to deal with Nakamori-san's attack. We searched the entire campus inside and out, but there was nothing to help figure out the identity."

Shinichi silently cursed. _Great, so he's still acting too smart to leave us anything to go on. This case is really getting on my nerves._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, another chapter goes by, and we slowly approach the ending... I'm actually kinda sad since I really enjoyed this story-writing it, uploading it here, and seeing your reactions as viewers. I love how cute it is with Kaito and Shinichi, and (sadly) that won't be happening much in the next project. For one, Conan and Heiji are the main characters, and two, my fangirly friend I'm writing it for (kinda) is not into yaoi whatsoever. It's still a really good story so far, but I always love having those cute little moments~  
**

 **Oh! For those of you that happened to see my profile page, you'll notice I actually have three projects on there...well, let's just say that's what happened as a result of having a lot of writer's block. Then again, I wrote 50K words in a month on one book (NaNoWriMo, anyone?) and 21K in a week on the other. Now I get all the stress (of course), but I'll see how everything manages. If I'm lucky, I will continue to write two projects at once so I can finish both around the same time and get started on the sequel to this; from what I have already planned, it's going to be beautiful~!**


	36. Surprise 35: Forgetful Findings?

Surprise Thirty-Five: Forgetful Findings?

It took another three days, but Kaito was recovered enough to care for himself. Ran stayed the entire time so Shinichi could go back to class making sure the magician didn't try to do anything too rash. On the morning of the fourth day, Shinichi was delighted to see Kaito standing up with ease and juggling a few colorful balls.

"I'm glad you're better," he went over to hug Kaito. "I was getting worried that you wouldn't recover. Thank goodness Takagi-keiji came and saw you!"

Kaito laughed. "Yeah, we sure owe him." Suddenly, his phone chimed. Confused, he picked it up from the desk and read the message. His eyes sparkled as he grinned. "Well, you better be getting to school!" He ushered Shinichi out of the house and returned upstairs to get ready. It was going to be a fun day.

But Shinichi was unaware of what was in store, so he shrugged off what happened and began walking to school. "Nakamori-san!" He called out to Aoko when seeing her a short distance ahead. "You're back! Have you recovered from that head injury?"

Aoko turned, and her eyes widened when seeing Shinichi. She ran up and hugged him, tears falling down her cheeks. "Thank you so much, Kudou-kun. I heard from my dad that you tried to find who attacked me but nothing was there. I greatly appreciate you trying so hard." She deeply bowed to him.

Shinichi accepted the thanks and continued walking before noticing Aoko stood still on the sidewalk. "Is something wrong, Nakamori-san?"

"Um, how is Kaito doing? I haven't heard anything for a few days." She sounded as if she had been worrying more about him than herself while at the hospital.

Shinichi gave a reassuring smile. "He's loads better since that doctor from headquarters came to look at him. He was walking around the house this morning and juggling."

Aoko wiped away tears. "That's good; I knew he could do it." They made their way to school and enjoyed classes that day. About halfway home, Shinichi remembered Kaito's odd behavior. "Oh yeah, I think Kaito had mentioned something that was going to happen. See you tomorrow, Nakamori-san!"

Aoko waved farewell, and Shinichi ran back to the house to find three individuals waiting for him in the living room. "Welcome home!" they exclaimed happily.

Shinichi sighed. "Why am I not surprised? Are you finished filming that drama already, Kaa-san? It hasn't been that long."

Yukiko giggled. "Of course; I made it _perfect_!" She frowned. "But Kai-chan told me some bad things have been happening."

Yusaku nodded in agreement. "Yes, I heard that as well. Care to explain?" He gestured to the couch.

Shinichi plopped in a seat and told them everything…or so he thought. He told of the cruise ship serial murder, Kaito's unsuccessful heist, and his classmate's attack but felt something was missing. He didn't tell of the article he read or the student's identity since he knew how they'd react, but there was something else.

Yukiko looked to her husband sadly. "Yu-chan, I knew they should have come to America with us!"

Yusaku put a hand to his chin. "No, that may have turned out worse. This killer could have made his or her way to America and caused a huge ruckus."

Yukiko turned her gaze back to her son, who was deep in thought. "But what can we do, Yu-chan?" she whispered. "After what happened…"

Yusaku shook his head. "All we can really do is stay here for a little while until things calm down and hope it will stay like that."

The Kudou home was rather lively until late that evening. "I should be going to bed," Shinichi yawned, "or else I may not last through classes tomorrow."

"I'm going too!" Detective and magician went upstairs, and the Kudou parents lowered their voices to discuss serious matters.

"So Shin-shin, are you ready for this weekend?" Kaito looked up and paled when seeing Shinichi with a horrorstruck expression. "Oi, what's wrong? Does it have to do with the case, or is it something else?"

Shinichi's voice came as a faint whisper. "We haven't told my parents _that_ , have we?"

Kaito grinned. "That's right, we haven't! So we can approach any way we want~" His eyes sparkled seductively.

Shinichi deeply blushed as he realized what Kaito meant. " _No way_. I would prefer it to be simple enough so they don't faint or worse."

Kaito quirked an eyebrow but said nothing more of the matter, for Shinichi's phone was ringing. "Who would be calling this late at night?"

Shinichi's eyes widened when seeing the number. "Hello?"

"Ano, Kudou-kun, did you hear about what happened this afternoon?" It was Takagi, and he sounded scared about something.

"No, I haven't. Can you fill me in?" Now he was concerned.

Takagi hesitated. "Well, you see…your mother was attacked by you-know-who."

Shinichi felt his mouth go dry. "So that story was true then? She really did escape?"

Takagi agreed. "She did, but she doesn't realize that she has a tracker placed on her. We know exactly where she is and are planning an ambush." He paused. "In case she's planning something we can't stop, I suggest you be careful and keep your guard up, okay?"

Shinichi felt immense relief wash over him. "Thanks, Takagi-keiji; I'll be careful." He hung up and climbed into bed. "Apparently, Kaa-san had a bit of a confrontation with _her_."

Kaito gasped. "She did? Why didn't she tell us?"

Shinichi closed his eyes and smiled. "She was probably worried I'd go and get myself injured again when there was really no need to. The police are tracking her right now and making a plan to catch her."

Kaito took a moment to bend down and stroke Shinichi's hair. "Now you can stop worrying about her and get some sleep; I can tell you haven't for the past few days." He stood back up and noticed the small white box from before sitting on the nightstand. "You said this was for when I recovered, right? Can I open it?"

Shinichi chuckled softly. "Yeah, call it a late birthday present from me."

Kaito opened it and felt tears begin to form. "Shin-shin…you got these chocolates just for me?" He practically fell on top of Shinichi in an embrace. "Thank you so much; I know you most likely spent time away from solving that case from school to get this. Speaking of that, can you tell me more about it—like who was attacked?"

Shinichi's eyes popped open as he flinched. It would not be good news, that's for sure. "Kaito…it was Aoko that was attacked. She's better now, but I'm a little worried."

Deciding it was best to not panic about Aoko, Kaito hummed in confusion. "What do you mean, Shin-shin? Shouldn't you be happy that she's recovered?"

Shinichi turned away from Kaito. "It's not the best time to talk about this; we should be sleeping." He purposely slowed down his breathing to make it seem like he was asleep when he was actually worrying about the ones around him.

Kaito fell for the trick and began to make his way downstairs, pausing at the sound of hushed voices. He peered over the railing and saw Yukiko and Yusaku sitting on the couch with pale faces.

"Was it right to do that, Yu-chan?"

"I'm not…" He paused and turned around. "Oh, you're still up, Kaito. Do you need something?"

Kaito nervously sat beside the Kudou parents. "I'm worried about Shinichi. I feel like he's hiding something about the recent attack. He told me who it was and that they recovered, but he said he's worried about something and won't tell me."

Yusaku frowned. "Is he asleep yet? If not, I'd like to talk to him."

Kaito shrugged. "I can't be sure. He's probably not knowing how he is in this kind of situation; he'll be up all night again."

Yusaku nodded. "I'll go speak with him." Making his wife stay with Kaito, he slowly ascended the stairs and paused by Shinichi's door. His son may have been close to sleep, but they needed to talk. "Shinichi, I can tell you're faking."

Shinichi sat up and yawned. "What's up, Tou-san? Did Kaito come to you about something?"

So his son could still think clearly when fatigued. Yusaku hid a smirk as he sat at the edge of the bed. "He did, but that's not what I want to talk to you about. It's probably an awkward subject for you right now, but…I couldn't help but notice you seemed a lot closer to Kaito than before. Did something happen between the two of you?"

Shinichi blushed. "Yeah, you could say that." This was going to be awkward.

Yusaku smiled. "You're dating, aren't you? That's the only explanation."

Shinichi shyly agreed. "He asked me a few days ago when he was still recovering, and I couldn't say no…because I love him. I could tell he loves me too, so I said yes. Um, can you make sure Kaa-san doesn't tell the whole world about it?"

Yusaku laughed. "I'll keep an eye on her. For now though, it would be best if you slept since you have classes, and I know you don't want to miss them." He ruffled Shinichi's hair and gave a thumbs-up to Kaito before going upstairs to work on his manuscript.

Yukiko and Kaito stayed up talking for another hour before going to bed. Yusaku wrote the next three chapters of his book, only stopping because it was three in the morning. He stood up and stretched for a moment and went back to Shinichi's doorway to see if he was asleep.

"Shinichi?" he whispered.

No answer. Yusaku studied Shinichi's breathing for a moment, coming to a conclusion that he had just fallen asleep. He quietly made his way into bed, unaware that Shinichi was in the midst of a nightmare.

 _Shinichi had dozed off in the library while researching when he felt someone lifting him up. Figuring it was Kaito, he continued to sleep until he heard the sound of a familiar car engine—one only a Porsche would make. His eyes popped open, and he looked outside to see his home on fire._

 _A deep, menacing voice chuckled. "So you're awake, Tantei. This is the result of your mistake. This is why you don't get others involved in your personal problems."_

 _A scream came from inside the house, startling Shinichi awake._

"Kuso…" Shinichi clutched his head as he gasped for breath. He could tell he was shaking and sweating, but he felt surprised that he didn't scream or wake anyone for that matter. He looked to the alarm clock and saw it was three-thirty, meaning he only got about half an hour of sleep. His instincts told him to wake Kaito and calm down but at the same time were screaming at him to leave so no one gets hurt.

 _But they still know where they all are,_ he told himself, _so leaving wouldn't help anything either, would it?_ He cursed again and lied down with his hands behind his head. His thoughts raced for a while until they began to slow down as lethargy increased. He knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake, so his eyes slid shut as he fell into a deep sleep. However, he was only asleep for twenty minutes or so due to Kaito and Yusaku waking him.

"Come on, Shin-shin; you need to get ready!" Kaito shook him while Yusaku stood in the doorway. He had a feeling that Shinichi didn't sleep as much as he thought.

Shinichi groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "It's time already?" He moved his hands to his side, revealing darkened and bloodshot eyes.

Yusaku's eyebrows furrowed. "So I was right then. How much sleep did you get last night, Shinichi? To me, it looks like a very slim amount."

Shinichi's mind was foggy and took a moment to process the question. "Half an hour?" he mumbled. "Had a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep."

Kaito's expression saddened. "Can't you stay home if you're that tired? I don't think your professors would mind. Yusaku-kun, what do you think?" He turned to the elder detective.

Yusaku sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He has to stay home for at least the first half of class today; he wouldn't last otherwise. I would honestly prefer if you stayed home all day today, Shinichi, but I know you really like that professor."

Surprisingly, Shinichi nodded and collapsed back on his pillow. He knew he was tired and didn't feel like arguing over it. As he was slowly lulled to sleep, he could feel Kaito gently placing the blanket over him and whisper something in his ear that comforted him.

"Let's hope he can sleep well," Kaito told Yusaku.

And so the detective did. He slept so soundly and deeply that the others didn't want to wake him at lunchtime to get ready for class.

Yukiko giggled. "It's so cute when he's sleeping so well!"

Kaito agreed with a grin. "It's a good thing too; I was worried that he wouldn't sleep much, but I guess you guys being here makes him feel more at ease." He failed to suppress a yawn. "Speaking of which, I'm pretty tired myself. I'll be back in a little while." With a small wave, he made his way to the guest bed and was out in minutes.

Yukiko looked to her husband and ruffled his hair. "You look tired too, Yu-chan…were you up late writing again? Come on; we can talk for a little bit too."

Yusaku knew his wife would be dangerous to be around if she napped but couldn't say no to a nap himself. They went to the master bedroom and lied down together.

"Yu-chan, do you feel bad about doing that?" Yukiko whispered, a look of concern in her eyes. "I don't think it was right."

Yusaku thought of his son and how he could only sleep well when those around him were happy. "Yes, Yukiko, I feel it was right; there was no other way to do it and get the same result."

When Shinichi finally awoke late that afternoon, he was surprised by the silence in the home. But his first concern was figuring out what time it was, for the sun was too far west for it to only be noon. He stared at the alarm clock in shock. "Two…? But they…" He shook his head with a huff. "I guess I was sleeping well enough for them to think I should stay home all day." He swung out of bed and decided to investigate this odd silence.

"Kaito?" Shinichi quietly opened the guest bedroom door and couldn't help but smile. The magician had been asleep and snoring and was just waking up at the sound of his name.

"Shin-shin, is something wrong?" Kaito sat up and rubbed his eyes. "You sound worried about something."

Shinichi waved it off and sat beside his boyfriend. "It's nothing; I was just wondering where everyone was since it was so quiet. Speaking of which, why didn't you wake me a few hours ago to go to class?"

Kaito snickered and ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Because I knew you needed the sleep! Even your dad agreed that it would be best for you to stay home all day, after all." He paused. "How do you feel after sleeping? Do you think you can get back to a normal sleep schedule?"

Shinichi let out a frustrated sigh. "To be honest, I'm not really sure…"

Kaito's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean, Shin-shin? Can you tell me what's bothering you? You know I hate it when you don't."

Shinichi rested his head on Kaito's shoulder and closed his eyes. "I'm worried, Kaito. My parents suddenly come back and get attacked by someone who has supposedly been tracked since she escaped prison. Don't you see something wrong with that story? Besides, they're probably after you too. They murdered your brother after holding him captive for ten years and attacked Aoko. _They're cornering us—cornering me into surrendering my life_."

Kaito wrapped an arm around Shinichi's waist. "Shin-shin, don't ever think you'll have to face them without me; after all, my dad was killed by them, and I want revenge as much as you do. I'll always stay at your side…even in the afterlife."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Awww, so kawaii! The Kudou parents know of their son dating Kaito, and I even included a cute line from Kaito at the end~! Anyway, I really thank you guys for enjoying the story and supporting it so much; I'm surprised we have so many followers/favorites! I know this story isn't the best since I can probably do better if I spend more time on it, but you all have been loving it anyway. Speaking of which, I am really enjoying these new projects a lot. Preventing the Truth is going to be the type of story that only appeals to those interested in serial murders that are based on riddles, and I'll Be There for You is going to be a supernatural story with lots of little cute parts sneaked in (like this one!). I will only be uploading this story until the end of May when it's "finished," and then I'll upload Preventing the Truth starting in August since I'll be back from my dad's by then. Again, thanks for the support! If you want a short summary of these upcoming projects, you can view them on my profile page along with their current word counts!  
**


	37. Surprise 36: Capturing Attention?

**Author's Pre-Note: Okay, I know some of you have read the chapter already, but the reader MysticCritc noticed an error/plothole that I had to immediately fix. It slightly changes things, I know, but it also causes a...certain scene to make more sense. Thank you again, MysticCritic~!**

* * *

Surprise Thirty-Six: Capturing Attention?

Even if Shinichi was nervous at first, he gradually relaxed over the next two weeks. He didn't have nightmares, and the only cases he came across were average ones that were quickly solved. Kaito was rather pleased to see his boyfriend in a better mood.

"I guess it's because you're here!" Kaito told Yukiko and Yusaku with a laugh.

Yusaku put a hand to his chin. "But we're going to be gone for a couple of days during a friend's wedding. Do you think you can keep a close eye on him for us, or should I call someone to help you out?"

Kaito thought about it. He knew it wouldn't be easy to do it alone, so he tried to think of someone that would come at little notice (since it was quite late). He snickered. "Hey, how about Heiji-kun? He probably wants to see Shinichi anyway, and we could show him around."

Yusaku nodded. "I'll call, and you can go to bed. Since it's a weekend, I'm not sure if Shinichi would want to go anywhere in fear of having another case."

Kaito frowned. "But it's been two weeks since anything's happened! He's still not worrying about it, is he?"

Just then, a scream came from upstairs as the detective was startled awake from a nightmare. Yusaku gestured upward. "See? You can make sure he's okay, and Yukiko and I can get ready to leave." He paused. "And please don't tell him just yet that we're leaving; tell him when he's more calmed down so he doesn't panic."

Kaito thanked him and rushed upstairs, stopping in the doorway to Shinichi's bedroom. "Shin-shin, are you okay?" He turned the light on and saw Shinichi wrapped in his blanket and trembling, his face sweaty and deathly pale. "Was it another nightmare?" He coaxed Shinichi into removing the blanket so they could hug.

Shinichi gasped for breath as he clung onto Kaito. "What are they planning, Kaito? Why haven't they done anything for two weeks? It's tearing me apart!"

Kaito gave a sad smile. "But you've seemed so happy lately that they're not doing anything, Shin-shin…it made me happy too." He made Shinichi lie down and stayed with him until he finally fell asleep many hours later. Quietly whispering a "pleasant dreams" and kissing his forehead, Kaito made his way downstairs and had just finished making breakfast when there was a knock at the door.

"That must be Heiji-kun!" He answered the door and saw the Osakan with his characteristic grin. "Hey, Heiji-kun!" He let Heiji inside and put a finger to his lips. "You may want to be quiet; Shinichi just fell asleep."

Heiji raised an eyebrow. "What do ya mean, Kuroba? Is Kudou havin' nightmares again? 'Cuz it's already past noon."

Kaito's eyes widened. "It's that late already? Geez, I haven't slept either." He shrugged it off. "But yeah, he had a nightmare last night, which was pretty odd considering the fact that _they_ haven't done anything for two weeks. I think he's more concerned about that than trying to relax for once."

Heiji was surprised. "They haven't done anythin' at _all_ fer two whole weeks?! I can see why Kudou's so bothered 'bout it; they must be plannin' somethin' big." He gestured upward. "If ya want, ya could get some shut-eye while I stay up there with Kudou."

Kaito looked a bit relieved as he yawned. "Thanks, Heiji-kun, I'll make sure to not sleep too long in case you need some rest." They both went upstairs, one collapsing in the guest bed and the other in a chair at Shinichi's bedside.

 _Kudou, I understand that yer frustrated right now, but ya need some time to enjoy yerself too! After all, I don't think yer gonna get a break like this fer quite a while…_

X

Shinichi felt strangely at ease, so he was able to sleep longer than he anticipated. When he finally awoke early that evening, he was surprised to see Heiji slumbering in the chair beside him, his arms crossed as if he had been thinking before dozing off. "H-Hattori, what are you doing here?"

Heiji stirred and opened his eyes. "Ah, yer up, Kudou; I thought ya'd sleep all day!" He stretched and made his way beside Shinichi, ruffling his hair. "An' I thought yer parents told ya already why I'm here."

Shinichi frowned. "No, they never told me anything like that…" He froze. "Don't tell me…they're not here?"

Heiji hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah, they left early this mornin' to go to a friend's weddin' an' invited me to help Kuroba keep an eye on ya." He stopped when seeing Shinichi's face grow white. "Oi, ya don't need to worry 'bout them; they'll be fine! It's only a few days anyway, an' they're most likely travelin' 'round the place."

Shinichi shook his head. "It's not just them I'm concerned about, Hattori; anyone around me is vulnerable too. If we aren't careful, we'll all be hurt or worse."

Heiji patted Shinichi on the back. "Don't worry yer pretty little head over somethin' as trivial as this, Kudou! Kuroba an' I can take turns at night to make sure no one comes in."

Shinichi's fatigued mind felt comforted by Heiji's words. "Thank you, Hattori," he whispered. "I greatly appreciate it." He loudly yawned and swayed a bit. "Wow, I'm still tired; I'll have to go to bed earlier tonight."

Heiji chuckled. "It appears so! C'mon, let's see what Kuroba's makin' fer dinner—it smells great already!" He led Shinichi to the kitchen and sat him at the table before popping behind Kaito. "Oi, what are ya makin'? It smells good!"

Kaito playfully shooed him away. "Hang on, it's not finished yet." He put the dish in the oven and wiped his hands on his apron, his eyes sparkling as an idea came to him. "So how do you feel, Shin-shin?" he asked lightly, slowly taking off the apron.

Shinichi smirked. "I'm still tired; I'll go to bed fairly soon."

"Do you need anything? I can get you something if you need it~" Kaito bend down to Shinichi's level and kissed him, startling Heiji.

Shinichi blushed furiously. "Kaito, I already told you…" But the magician was kissing him again, this time much more intensely. Heiji had just about fallen out of his chair when Shinichi was able to push Kaito away.

"Kaito, you _know_ I'm uncomfortable still, especially around people that don't know yet!" He gave an apologetic look to Heiji, whose eyes were still wide. "Sorry, he likes using the element of surprise to tell people things."

Heiji nodded, taking a moment to get his thoughts straight. "So yer datin' Kuroba then? I thought ya'd be more concerned 'bout that case than doin' somethin' like this."

Shinichi glared at Kaito, who was struggling to contain his laughter. "I am dating him. I said yes when he was…" He trailed off as he realized something. "Oh, did you hear about what happened involving the latest Kid heist?"

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I heard he was injured pretty bad an' that somethin' happened to close the whole case. Why do ya ask, Kudou? Is there somethin' I should know?"

Shinichi hesitated. "Kaito, do you want to tell him?"

Kaito snapped his fingers, and a white smoke enveloped him. When it cleared, he was in the Kid costume. "I'm Kid, Heiji-kun. And that injury wasn't just 'pretty bad;' it hit me in the lung, and none of the doctors seemed to know or do anything about it. Thankfully, a doctor that Takagi-keiji sent was able to treat me."

Heiji gaped. "So yer the phantom thief? But Kudou…why are ya…?"

"His dad was killed by _them_ ," Shinichi cut in. "He was searching for some kind of jewel to destroy it before they got a hold of it. He wasn't stealing anything without returning it anyway, so he wasn't committing any crimes. Even if he was trespassing, he was doing it for a good cause. Besides, he was close to dying when I said yes."

Heiji nodded, finally understanding. "So now the both o' ya are happy. I'm glad."

Dinner was ready a half hour later, and all three enjoyed it. Once the table was cleared, Shinichi couldn't stop yawning and insisted he go to bed.

"But Shin-shin, can't we play a game first?" Kaito pouted. "After all, Heiji-kun's only going to be here for a couple days."

Shinichi shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "No, I can barely stay awake; we can do that stuff tomorrow since we'll have the whole day."

Kaito stuck out his bottom lip. "Fine, but I'm staying with you and making sure nothing happens!" He followed Shinichi upstairs after telling Heiji good night and tucked him into bed. "There, now sleep well, okay? I have big plans set for tomorrow."

Shinichi turned toward Kaito and closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

The house seemed rather peaceful that night. There was no noise other than the quiet breathing of three individuals. Until a fourth set of lungs joined in, that is. The body of which this set of lungs inhabited slowly ascended the staircase, being careful to not make the floor creak. This being finally arrived outside of a bedroom in which their target slept. They were about to enter when they noticed a second person by the door dozing. Rolling their eyes, they pulled out a cloth and doused it in chloroform before stuffing it in that person's face.

That second person, Kuroba Kaito, was startled awake at the cold touch and tried to break free, but the chemical was beginning to pull him under. As the world began to fade, he only had one thought on his mind. _Shin-shin, run away…before they get to you…_

X

Shinichi felt something slip into his mouth and, assuming it was Kaito with another of his numerous medicines, ignored it. Perhaps it was also Kaito who picked him up? However, he knew something was off when he heard a car engine start. He partially opened his eyes and saw a woman in the driver seat, a silver streak in her hair. Shinichi wanted to panic and try to escape but knew it would be to no avail. _It would be bad if I tried to run; she could always come back and hurt Hattori and Kaito…she got me._

He closed his eyes again and continued to fake-sleep. _I need a plan._ He felt in his pocket and noticed an object that wasn't normally there. _Ah, that's right; my nightmare made me worried, so I put Conan's phone in my pocket. I guess I can send something to Hattori to let him know of my location so he can find me. Since Jodie-sensei is still in Japan, I can have him inform her so she and the other FBI members can handle the situation._

Just then, a phone began to ring. Shinichi felt at his pocket again, but it wasn't his—it was the one built into the car.

"Hello?" Marissa's voice spoke. "Who is this? You know I'm busy at night."

A deep voice reverberated throughout the car; a voice Shinichi never wanted to hear. "What are you doing, Daughter? I told you we'd be having a meeting later tonight with some of the others."

Marissa gave a childish giggle. "But Daddy, I have a rather _interesting_ person in my car. I thought you may want to take a look at him."

"Marissa, I have already told you that I don't remember my victim's faces if that's what you mean," Gin quietly replied, sounding irritated. "Just hurry up and get to the meeting spot."

Marissa stuck out her bottom lip. "I guess you don't want to see someone that knows where _she_ is…"

Gin hummed. "Really? Alright, I shall see about meeting this person in a day or so. Don't forget the meeting tonight." He hung up, and Marissa burst out laughing.

"My my, this is going to be rather fun." She suddenly parked the car and turned to the backseat, frowning. "Hm, it'd be best if I blindfolded and tied you up, _Meitantei_." She did so, not realizing Shinichi had a phone clenched in one hand, and threw him inside a building. "Goodbye for now, _Meitantei-san_. Wait until I get back, and we'll have lots of fun~" She returned to her car and pulled out, allowing Shinichi to make a move.

 _Finally she's gone; now I can let Kaito and Hattori know what's up. But where am I?_ He could hear the sound of waves splashing against the building and smelled salt, meaning he was probably in a warehouse in downtown Beika beside the ocean. Adjusting himself upright against a support beam, he slowly fingered around the keypad to make a coded message. It took him until early the next morning, and Marissa had just arrived when he hit send.

 _Hattori…please solve this quickly; I don't know how long I'll be able to hold on._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Oh my goodness, Shinichi was kidnapped by Marissa! I wonder what were to happen if Gin showed up soon...*giggles* But that's for next time~ I hope you all enjoyed, and thanks for all the support thus far!  
**

 **Also, I've noticed that either you guys are so busy reading my story or you're so busy to where you can't read my story...meaning no one has given me any feedback, good or bad. I'm not complaining whatsoever since I'm surprised anyone's reading this, but it would be nice to get some input from you guys as to whether you like it or not. Since I've already finished this story, I can't add anything to it, but I can always rewrite something if it's worded weirdly (that happens a lot.) Other than that, thanks again for reading the story!**


	38. Surprise 37: A Pain in the Neck?

**Author's Pre-Note (again): So let's just say I had a bit of a mess-up that the user MysticCritic addressed. I was able to fix it, so you may want to read the previous chapter over again since I fixed a little bit here and there to have it make more sense. I don't know how many times I've said it already, but thank you for the help, MysticCritc; it really improves the story when people like you come in with your suggestions to make the story better~**

 **Anyway, enough of me talking...onto this chapter that was so annoying that I called it "A Pain in the Neck!"  
**

* * *

Surprise Thirty-Seven: A Pain in the Neck?

Heiji awoke feeling refreshed. "Well, Kuroba's probably already up gettin' his plans ready; I should see how Kudou's doin' though since he looked pretty tired last night." He made his way to Shinichi's bedroom and blanched when seeing the scene before him. The bed was vacated and cold, and Kaito was passed out on the floor with slight discoloration around his mouth and nose, signifying chloroform was involved. "Kuroba, what the heck happened?" He shook Kaito awake in a panic, mentally cursing at himself for sleeping through something so extreme.

"Heiji-kun…?" Kaito slowly rose holding his head. "Why do you look so scared?"

Heiji was surprisingly calm since he knew Kaito was still woozy. " _Where's Kudou_?"

Kaito's eyes slowly widened as memory of the previous night returned. He turned toward the empty bed and gasped. "Heiji-kun, someone came in last night…they took him, didn't they?" He looked up to Heiji, tears in his eyes. "We couldn't protect him; he's going to die if we can't find him in time."

Heiji glanced around the room and noticed Shinichi's phone with an unread message. "Oi, Kuroba, come here fer a sec." He picked up the phone and opened the message.

Kaito gulped. "What is it, Heiji-kun? It looks like gibberish to me."

Heiji gave a sad smile. "It's a code, Kuroba. He's tellin' us where he is." He grabbed the closest notebook and pen and sat down to crack it.

"O GS OT G CGXKNUAYK OS JUCTZSCT HKOQG. ZNK IARVXOZ OY SGXOYYG. MKZ PUJOK ZU NKRV LOTJ SK. ZUU JGTMKXUAY UZNKXCOYK." Heiji hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it's that…" He began to write and continued doing so for the next hour while Kaito paced the room. Suddenly, he stood up with a grin on his face.

Kaito stopped, a hint of hope in his eyes. "Heiji-kun, did you…?"

Heiji nodded. "Yeah, I solved it. Kudou's…" Suddenly, the phone in his hand rang. Jumping a bit, he hit answer. "Hello? This is Hattori Heiji."

A female voice laughed softly. "Ah, you're the other detective, correct? I suppose it's better to tell you this since it's rather interesting."

Heiji's eyes narrowed. "Who are ya?"

The voice didn't respond for a moment. " _A secret makes a woman woman._ Anyway, that is not the point of why I tried to call. I noticed that _Cool Guy_ was with someone late last night. I wonder why?"

Heiji huffed. "Well, that's 'cuz he was kidnapped by some person named Marissa. Ya know her by any chance?"

The voice grunted in disgust. "Ugh, why did it have to be the demon spawn of _him_?" She suddenly hung up, leaving Heiji confused. "Oi, Kuroba, do ya know who that person coulda been? She sounded like she knew Kudou or somethin'."

Kaito frowned. "Let me see the phone; I know there's something installed that records all conversations on it." He found the app and listened closely to the conversation, turning pale. "That was Vermouth…so she must be nearby keeping an eye on Shinichi. From how she reacted to the name Marissa, I'm betting it's the daughter to Gin." He gasped. "That explains why Shinichi acted so oddly after that interview…"

"What interview?" Heiji quirked an eyebrow. "Are ya sayin' that the woman that killed four people on the cruise ship was part o' that group Kudou was after? Did she find out 'bout Kudou comin' to the interview?"

Kaito shrugged. "I wish I knew, Heiji-kun. If I did know, I could have prevented this from happening."

Heiji patted him on the back. "It wasn't yer fault, Kuroba; it just happened without ya expectin' it. Let me call Jodie-sensei 'bout what happened an' see if she can find 'im. If not, we're gonna look ourselves for 'im even if he said not to—I'm not lettin' some _aho_ like her get away with hurtin' my friend."

X

Marissa slowly slid the door shut, making the warehouse completely dark except for a headlamp light she wore shining on Shinichi's face. "Ah, you're finally awake! You must be ready for some _fun_ ~"

Shinichi snarled at her. "What do you want with me? It's not like I was the one to report to the police about what you did on the cruise ship or at the hospital."

Marissa hummed. "Well, so you knew about that too, did you? You're rather smart…too smart for your own good. I took you because of the grief you caused my daddy and the Organization; he had to fake his death to get away from you but couldn't even remember your face!" She pulled out a knife angrily. "You hurt my daddy, so I'm gonna hurt you! Get ready to scream, Kudou Shinichi!" She slashed along his arm, but Shinichi did not make a sound.

Clenching his teeth, he let out a laugh. "I'm not going to satisfy you that easily, Marissa-san; you have to try harder than that." His adrenaline seemed to make him cocky…not the best time to act like that.

Marissa began to repeatedly slice at Shinichi, but he would not let a sound come from him. Eventually, she threw the knife back and pulled out a small case of pills. "Alright, I guess you wanna go the hard way. This pill was created by yours truly, and it is made to simply torture the victim into insanity. Just once a day for a week will do it." She forced a pill down Shinichi's throat, and it immediately made his pain intensify.

Kicking Shinichi onto the floor, she chuckled and stood up. "I see it's going to work rather nicely. Let's see how long you last, _Meitantei_." She walked off, only pausing to hear the beginning of Shinichi's screaming before leaving to attend to other errands.

 _K-kuso…it hurts so much…_ He wanted to black out and get rid of the pain but knew it was risky to do so in case she came back early. He instead sat himself upright and took the pain, praying on the inside that Heiji solved the code.

The Osakan detective may have solved it, but he was finding other issues later that evening. "What?! Yer sayin' that it's gonna take three days to search all o' the warehouses?"

Jodie agreed sadly. "I really wish it could go faster, but there's a lot of warehouses in downtown Beika. We'll let you know if we find him."

Heiji cursed to himself. "Make sure to catch that Marissa gal, will ya? She's been causin' a lotta grief lately."

Jodie smiled. "OK, I'll try my best. And remember for you and that Kuroba Kaito to stay as far away as you can; you could wind up as extra hostages." She hung up just as Kaito was entering the kitchen.

"Heiji-kun, what did she say?" Kaito asked, a hint of concern in his voice. "You don't look like it's very good news."

Heiji shook his head. "No, it's not, Kuroba. They're sayin' it's gonna take 'em three days to look through all the warehouses, but we don't know if Kudou's gonna last that long. It's too dangerous to look ourselves, so she said to stay here…" He cursed again. "So we get to sit an' have tea while Kudou's gettin' killed."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Heiji-kun…" _Please, Shin-shin…let them know where you are!_

It was a long night for everyone. No one slept and experienced different kinds of pain ranging from emotional to physical. Shinichi was close to a doze when he heard footsteps approaching him. "Good morning, _Meitantei_! I hope you're ready for some more fun with me." Marissa eyed Shinichi. "Hang on a moment, you were up all night, weren't you? I thought you'd pass out at some point…you're rather stubborn."

Shinichi looked up at her, his eyes bloodshot but brimming with confidence. "Of course, it's not like I'm going to give up that quickly! My friends are going to find me soon; they're not the kind to ever give up."

Marissa rolled her eyes. "We shall see about that, won't we? In fact, let's make a bet over it. If your friends can save you by tomorrow morning, I will accept defeat and turn myself in to the police. However, if they can't, I will take you elsewhere where they can never find you or your body…and you will die of insanity. Do you accept the deal?"

Shinichi grinned. "Of course I accept! I can trust they'll find me in time—they wouldn't be my friends otherwise. Just you wait, Marissa-san; you'll be handcuffed by tomorrow!"

Marissa slapped Shinichi, making him bleed from the mouth. "You don't need to act so overconfident. They don't even know you're in one of the warehouses, and there's over two hundred to search through!"

Shinichi couldn't resist a laugh. "You don't know them very well, do you? They _will_ find me, and you will not escape justice."

Marissa grabbed him by his shirt collar and leaned toward his face. "You shouldn't trust in them, foolish boy. It's almost like trusting in your abilities alone to save a kidnapped child…" She tossed him to the floor as he turned pale. "Oh, I almost forgot. It's time for a little game~"

The next twelve hours were some of the most excruciating for Shinichi. He didn't realize that Marissa had so many torture devices. She also fed him the second pill halfway through to intensify the pain. He knew being stubborn was not a good idea and let his screams ring through the abandoned warehouse. Finally, late that night as Marissa was about to call it a day, a voice from the outside could be heard.

" _Cool Kid_ , are you here?" It was Jodie—she had finally arrived!

Shinichi managed to let out a cry for help before Marissa snatched him and placed a knife against his throat. "Shush! If she comes in here because of that, you're going to regret it." She paused, a smile on her face. "If I am caught, don't forget about that pill I used on you; I sent it to my daddy and some of the other surviving members to use."

Jodie stopped in her tracks. She had indeed heard the plea but knew he was most likely in a bad situation. Loading her pistol, she slowly approached the warehouse where his cry came from. She could hear ragged breathing and a quiet whisper, meaning it was the one. Moving back far enough, she gave a message to her colleagues saying she found him and would go in herself.

"Don't, Jodie-kun, it's too dangerous! Wait for at least me to get there!" James protested vehemently. "You'll get someone killed!"

Jodie chuckled softly. "Everything will be okay, trust me." Disobeying direct orders from her superior, she burst open the door and held up her pistol to the culprit. "Marissa, you are under arrest for attempted murder and escaping your prison sentence."

Marissa giggled. "That is fine, but I'm taking this boy with me!" She was able to slice Shinichi's neck before Jodie fired at her arm, allowing her to handcuff Marissa.

"Jodie-kun, is everything okay?" James rushed in and gasped when seeing Shinichi bloody on the floor struggling to breathe. "I'll worry about her; you need to get him to a hospital immediately!"

After calling an ambulance, Jodie collapsed by Shinichi as tears threatened to come. " _Cool Kid_ , I'm so sorry I couldn't help you in time; it's my fault you got hurt even more."

Shinichi shakily placed a hand on top of hers. "It's not your fault," he faintly whispered, "it's mine for acting overconfident…" He fell silent as he was finally able to pass out without worrying about someone hurting him. The ambulance arrived ten minutes later, and Shinichi was ushered to the hospital for emergency surgery.

Kaito was almost asleep after being forced to go to bed when his phone rang. "Jodie-sensei, did something happen? Did you find him?"

Jodie closed her eyes. "Yes, Kuroba-san, I did. However, you might want to go to the hospital; he's in emergency surgery right now due to his…severe injuries." She didn't want to tell him about the neck injury since she knew how nervous he had been.

Kaito sank into his pillows, extremely relieved. "Thank you, Jodie-sensei, for saving my boyfriend's life. He and I both owe you so much." He hung up and made his way to the kitchen, where Heiji was sipping a cup of coffee and staring out the window. "Heiji-kun, guess what! Jodie-sensei found Shinichi!"

Heiji turned around in surprise. "Already? That's awesome!" He stopped when seeing fear still in Kaito's eyes. "Oi, how bad did she say he was? Is he gonna be okay?"

Kaito looked down at his feet. "I-I don't know, Heiji-kun. All I know is that he's having emergency surgery at the hospital right now because of what happened."

Heiji nodded. "Since I know we won't be able to sleep, let's go see 'im an' find out what the heck happened when he was gone." They drove Kaito's car to the hospital and found a doctor just exiting the operation room.

"Um, Doctor, can you tell me how bad his injuries are?" Kaito asked nervously. "Will he be okay?"

The doctor hesitated, making Heiji and Kaito more concerned. "He had a large number of cuts on his body, the large one on his neck being the worst. He was also burned and given some sort of chemical that is unrecognizable in our system. All I know is that the person that did this to him was cruel and heartless."

The door to the operation room opened, and a gurney with a pale Shinichi was rolled into a hospital room. "Please take good care of him," a nurse told Heiji and Kaito. "Make sure he doesn't talk for a while so his injury can properly heal. If he needs anything, let one of us know." Bowing to them, she quietly left.

Just then, Heiji's cell phone rang. His eyes widened when seeing the number. "Kuroba, keep an eye on Kudou—I gotta take this."

Kaito nodded silently, and he was finally alone with Shinichi. He lifted up the blanket a bit to see a large amount of blood stained on a bandage wrapped around Shinichi's neck. Bursting into tears, he buried his face in his hands and plopped in a chair. "Shin-shin…why couldn't I protect you?"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, so cheap codes are cheap. I used one where you just change the letter by 6. For example, you'd make A as G, I as O, etc. Also, if you guys got that chapter title before _that_ happened, kudos for you (pun majorly intended). I was trying to think of a title for this annoying chapter and happened to say "This is a real pain in the neck." And then I cried. It was that perfect.  
**

 **Anyway, I know I say this every time, but I feel it's necessary. Thank you for all the support~!**


	39. Surprise 38: Bated Breath?

Surprise Thirty-Eight: Bated Breath?

"Hello, Hei-chan! How is everything going? I'm sorry that we aren't back yet; we're leaving later tonight." It was Yukiko. And she didn't know of what happened to her son.

Heiji hesitated. "Uh, do ya think I could talk to Yusaku-han fer a sec?" He allowed the worry of Shinichi's condition to seep into his voice.

Frowning, Yukiko handed the phone to her husband. "Here, Yu-chan, it's Hei-chan."

Yusaku took the phone. "What happened, Heiji? Is it something involving my son?" He had noticed a feeling inside of him the day after they left that something was wrong and figured something happened to Shinichi.

Heiji took a deep breath. "Yeah, ya could say that somethin' happened…an' it involves those guys Kudou's been after fer a while."

Yusaku gestured for his wife to leave the room. "Was he hurt? Do we need to be there?"

Heiji bit his lip. "To be honest, he _was_ hurt; real bad. He just got outta surgery an' is asleep. He was kidnapped the night after ya called me over when I was already in bed. Kuroba only remembers that someone knocked 'im out with chloroform. Jodie-sensei found Kudou a few hours ago in an abandoned warehouse with the killer from the cruise ship that escaped prison."

Yusaku sighed deeply. "Alright, we'll be there as soon as we can. Make sure he doesn't push himself, okay? He has a tendency to do that, especially in cases like these."

Heiji laughed. "I know Kuroba's probably gonna stay here all night with 'im!"

Yusaku smirked. "He'll probably stay by my son's side until he's fully recovered." He thanked Heiji for telling him and hung up.

"What was that about, Heiji-kun?" Kaito asked, wiping tears from his eyes.

Heiji sat in the other chair with a huff. "I had to tell Kudou's parents what happened; they're on their way here now to see 'im."

Kaito gasped. "Were they mad at us for letting him get kidnapped?"

Heiji merely shrugged. "I don't think they are since I explained how it happened. Besides, they probably didn't think anythin' like this would happen since nothin' did fer two weeks."

Kaito nodded in agreement. "I guess you're right…" He paused. "Heiji-kun, do you think Shin-shin is going to live through this?"

Heiji closed his eyes. "I wish I could say yeah, but I'm not sure. All I do know is that Kudou's gonna put up a strong fight."

X

The small hospital room containing young detective Kudou Shinichi had many visitors over the next twenty-four hours. Heiji visited three times, the Kudou parents visited twice, Kazuha visited once, Jodie and James visited once, Ran visited once, and Kaito stayed there the whole time. The magician had been given comments to go to the hotel room and sleep, but he would not leave unless his boyfriend came with.

Just as Heiji was leaving for bed, Shinichi stirred and opened his eyes, moaning as the pain overwhelmed him.

Kaito gasped. "Shin-shin, you're awake!" He tightly grasped Shinichi's hand. "How do you feel…? Oh, you're not supposed to talk. Use this." He handed Shinichi a notebook and pen.

Shinichi's foggy brain tried to process what happened. After a moment, he remembered the kidnapping, so he wrote two words with questions marks after each: _Marissa_ and _Jodie_.

Kaito smiled. "It's all dealt with, Shin-shin," he whispered while stroking Shinichi's hair. "Jodie managed to arrest Marissa and helped get you here. If you're wondering if she was hurt or not, she wasn't since she had a gun on her."

Shinichi hesitated before shakily writing the words _I'm sorry_.

Kaito's expression saddened. "Shin-shin, none of this was your fault! If anything, it was mine for allowing her to knock me out so easily and not putting up good enough security. We didn't even know she would come either."

Shinichi pushed the notebook away and closed his heavy eyes, returning to a deep sleep. When he came to early the next morning, he could hear Heiji entering the room.

"Well, let's hope Kuroba's not still awake…" He opened the door and chuckled when seeing the scene before him. Kaito had finally fallen into a doze, his head rested on Shinichi's chest. "That's much better; I was a bit worried that ya'd stay up even longer! But knowin' how ya are, ya stayed up 'til ya couldn't anymore, didn't ya?" He walked into the room and sat in the chair at Shinichi's bedside, pausing when realizing something. "Oi, Kudou, are ya awake?"

Shinichi slowly opened his eyes. He was about to speak when remembering his injury. Grabbing the notebook, he noticed Kaito asleep on top of him and frowned. _How long has it been since the night Jodie-sensei found me? How long has Kaito been here caring for me?_

Heiji ruffled Shinichi's hair. "It's been a day an' a half since ya were rescued, an' Kuroba was awake fer a lot longer than that worryin' 'bout ya. I'll betcha he was up 'til he passed out!"

Shinichi's lips quirked to a smirk. _That's probably right._ He paused for a moment. _Did you tell anyone else about what happened?_

Heiji nodded, slightly surprised by the question. "Yeah, I told yer parents, Kazuha, an' yer Neechan since I knew they'd wanna see ya. If I remember right, they'll be comin' later today as well. Why are ya wonderin', Kudou?"

Shinichi averted his gaze on purpose. _I was just curious._

Heiji knew he was lying but didn't want to start anything with Shinichi in the condition he was in. Instead, he took the notebook and set it aside. "Well, ya should probably get some sleep an' take yer medicine." He handed Shinichi a pill. "The doctor told me when I came in to give this to ya if ya woke up."

Shinichi took it and turned away from Heiji so he could worry without his fellow detective noticing. _Are they going to take this situation into their own hands? Will they be hurt because of my mistake? Is she going to escape prison again to get her revenge? Is it possible that she had accomplices that are…?_

Heiji could see Shinichi was starting to tremble. "Oi, is somethin' wrong?"

What was written on the notebook in English startled Heiji. _Need not to know_. "Kudou… what happened?" But Shinichi had fallen into a feverish doze, his forehead glistening with sweat. Heiji huffed and began wiping Shinichi's face with a cold cloth. "Really, he's probably just worryin' 'bout somethin' he shouldn't again. But we felt the same way before he was kidnapped…maybe I should go to Jodie-sensei?"

"Oh, is someone talking about me?" Jodie coincidentally entered the room, a frown on her face. "How is _Cool Kid_ anyway?"

Heiji set the cloth aside and stood up. "Yeah, I think somethin's up with Kudou besides his physical condition. He started to get real panicky 'bout somethin' an' won't tell me what. I think it has somethin' to do with what happened involvin' Marissa that really shook 'im up."

Jodie smiled. "Do you want me to speak with him about it?"

Heiji shook his head. "Not yet; I can tell he's pretty tired an' needs the rest." He yawned. "Speakin' o' which, I'm tired as well. Would ya mind watchin' 'im while I go back an' get some sleep? Kuroba would probably feel safer with ya here instead o' me anyway."

Jodie giggled a bit. "Sure, I don't mind!" She sat herself where Heiji was moments before and watched over Shinichi and Kaito until the latter groggily woke up a few hours later.

"I fell asleep?" he mumbled as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He turned and gasped when seeing Jodie. "J-Jodie-sensei, what are you doing here? How long have you let me sleep? Is Shinichi okay?"

Jodie placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, Kaito-kun. It's only been a few hours since I came in and you looked really tired, so I let you sleep. I do need to speak with _Cool Kid_ about a few things though…"

Kaito stood up and stretched. "That's fine, you can wake him up for a bit; I'll wait outside until you're done." He paused at the doorway. "Make sure to help him, okay? I can tell something's bugging him." He left the room and quietly closed the door behind him.

Jodie sighed in relief and gently shook Shinichi. " _Cool Kid,_ get up for a moment!"

Shinichi moaned and opened his eyes, which widened when seeing the FBI agent. Grabbing the notebook, he hastily wrote, _Jodie-sensei, what are you doing here? Did something happen involving Marissa or?_ He stopped and crossed out "or" before she saw it.

Jodie laughed. "No, it's nothing bad, _Cool Kid_! I just wanted to see about a couple things. Firstly, do you want to testify against Marissa at her trial when you recover?"

Shinichi paled despite trying to hide it. _No, she's going to be in prison anyway,_ he shakily wrote. _Plus, you could show pictures of my injuries that will still suffice as evidence, right?_

Jodie pursed her lips. "Yes, that is true." She hesitated before asking the second question. " _Cool Kid_ …is something else bothering you? I've been told by both Kuroba Kaito and Hattori Heiji that they're worried about you."

Shinichi didn't respond for a few moments. _Should I tell her?_ He asked himself. _Should she know about that…? No. It's too dangerous because she'll tell Kaito and Hattori about it. The less people that know about it the better. That way, I can keep them safe from it._ He pointed at an English phrase already written on the notebook before adding, _I need some sleep. I'll let you know if I need your help again. Thank you._

Jodie watched sadly as Shinichi lied back down and closed his eyes. He may have slowed down his breathing to make it appear he was sleeping, but she knew he was worrying about something he was too afraid to tell anyone. She watched over him for about ten minutes until there was a quiet knock at the door.

"Oh, sorry, Kaito-kun! You can come in." The magician entered and was about to ask how it went when Jodie put a finger to her lips.

 _Be careful about what you say,_ she wrote in the notebook. _I can tell he's still awake._ She gestured to Shinichi.

Kaito frowned. _Does that mean he wouldn't tell you what's wrong? I thought he would since you're in the FBI._

Jodie nodded. _I figured he would too; I guess it's something really bad since he's not normally like this._

 _What should I do?_ Kaito began to stroke Shinichi's hair.

Jodie smiled. _He was mumbling something in his sleep that gave me a rather simple answer: Just stay with him and comfort him until the time is right for him to tell you._ Carefully tearing out the page, she winked and walked out of the room.

Even if he wanted to hold it in, Kaito began to cry. "Why, Shin-shin? Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

X

It took over two hours for Shinichi to fall to a doze, but he was quickly awakened by a high-pitched squeal. "Yu-chan, he still looks awful! You said he'd be better by now!"

Yusaku closed the door behind him with a sigh. "I said he'd be awake by now…" He paused. "Which I believe he is."

Yukiko wanted to rush up and hug her son but knew he'd be weak and sore. _Besides, his boyfriend's sleeping by him!_ She told herself with a grin. "Shin-chan, how are you feeling?" she asked gently.

Shinichi opened his bloodshot eyes and sat up, refraining himself from passing out due to a dizzy spell. _I'm getting there,_ he slowly wrote. _It will take a few days though._

Yusaku raised an eyebrow. "How bad is your wound? You should be talking by now."

Shinichi merely shrugged. _Not sure. All I know is that I was told by nurses to not talk for a while._ He hesitated before adding, _I don't think it's helping when I can hardly sleep either._

Yukiko stuck out her bottom lip. "Why not, Shin-chan? Is there something besides the injury that's bothering you?"

Shinichi faltered. _Do I want to tell them? I know that Tou-san would try to investigate into it for me, but what if he was hurt? It would be my fault because I'm too darn worried!_ He chose to lie even if they may see through it. _Everything's fine,_ he wrote. _I just need time to recover from what happened._

Yusaku nodded, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Alright. Yukiko, let's leave him be for a while; we need to talk anyway."

With tears in her eyes, Yukiko kissed her son's forehead. "Get better, okay? Make sure to listen to Kai-chan and the nurses." She quietly left and noticed her husband deep in thought. "Yu-chan, do you think he lied to us?"

Yusaku looked at her, an odd expression on his face. "I do. It's obvious something else is bothering him, yet he chose to hide it from us. If my deduction is correct, it involves either that Marissa girl or the kidnapping itself."

Yukiko tightly hugged Yusaku and balled. "What do we do, Yu-chan? He needs us, but we don't even know what's wrong!"

Yusaku tried to soothe her by whispering, "All we can do is be there and wait for him to come to us."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Weeelll, I guess that's that. At least Shinichi's okay though. Also, for those of you that don't know the meaning of the phrase "need not to know"...first off, go watch movie 4, _Captured in Her Eyes_ , and second, it's a phrase used by the FBI to signify that they are purposely hiding something that they either don't want to share or can't share due to confidentiality. I just felt I should clarify on that since I'll bet there's a few of you that haven't seen the movies...for whatever reason. If you guys are curious (since I love some of those movies), my two favorites are 15- _Quarter of Silence_ -and 7, _Crossroads at the Ancient Capital_. Sure, 10 ( _Requiem of the Detectives_ ), 6 ( _Phantom of Baker Street_ ), and 12 ( _Full Score of Fear_ ) are good as well, but 15 and 7 have to be my favorites with how much they make me cry...every time.  
**

 **Wow, I went into detail with that...ah well. I always have a bit of room at the end to thank you guys again for the support you've given~**

 **(Besides, I've been spending a lot of time learning Undertale music on the piano again, and I've been easily sidetracked. I would have to say the best one so far has been "Battle Against a True Hero." I had never heard it until today, and it made me cry so much...great job, Undyne.)**


	40. Surprise 39: Pictures Tell Stories?

Surprise Thirty-Nine: Pictures Tell Stories?

Five nights later, Shinichi was told he could go home the following morning.

"Really?" Kaito asked. "So he can go back to class too?"

The nurse smiled. "Yes, he would probably be fine, but he should keep talking to a minimum just to be safe."

Kaito thanked her before she left and turned back to Shinichi. "Shin-shin, did you hear that? We can go home…" He trailed off, for his boyfriend had stood up to look out the window, an expression mixed with sadness and fear crossing his face. Alarmed, Kaito placed a hand on Shinichi's tense shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Leaving his thoughts be for now, Shinichi shook his head. "It's nothing." He returned to bed with a yawn. "I should try to get some sleep. What about you? I can tell you're pretty tired from caring for me." He winced and lightly touched his neck—he could tell the nurse was right about not talking much.

Kaito ruffled Shinichi's hair. "If you insist, I guess I can for a little while. Let me get Heiji-kun here so he can keep watch." He mistakenly walked out of the room, and Shinichi let out a small laugh to himself.

 _He doesn't get me after all, does he? He couldn't tell what I was thinking about._ He quietly snuck away to the hospital roof and sat on the edge to think about what he should do.

"How did I know ya'd be here, Kudou?" Heiji chuckled from behind Shinichi, startling him away from his thoughts.

"H-Hattori, what are you doing? Where's Kaito?" Shinichi placed a mask over the sadness in his face before turning around.

Shaking his head, Heiji clucked his tongue. "I was comin' with Kuroba to watch the two o' ya, but ya had disappeared. Kuroba fainted fer some reason, so I tried to think where ya went. This was the only place ya'd go, Kudou. Now tell me what's up, will ya? It's not healthy to be stressin' over somethin' by yerself."

Shinichi paled despite his efforts not to. "I don't really think you should hear it," he whispered shakily. "I know what will happen if you hear about it."

Heiji smirked and bonked Shinichi on the head. "What, I'll go look into it fer ya? Sheesh, ya should know me better, Kudou! I wanna go look into it as it is since yer behavior's so weird but was more worried 'bout yer recovery."

Shinichi gulped. He knew it would be hard, but he'd have to tell Heiji what was worrying him. "Alright, I'll tell you. Just promise to be careful if you look into it; it's pretty dangerous." He sighed deeply. "Hattori, were you told anything about a poison in my body by the doctors?"

Heiji frowned. "Yeah, that doctor said there was a mix o' chemicals or somethin' like that that he couldn't find in the database. Why do ya ask?"

Shinichi looked ahead, a distant gaze in his eyes. "You could probably guess this, but it was Marissa that forced me to take it. Apparently, it was a pill she made that would drive the victim insane in a week. I didn't think much of it until Jodie was outside the warehouse and Marissa told me that she gave the pill to her dad and a few other surviving members to use on their victims."

Heiji was confused. "But Kudou, how is that worryin' ya so much? No offense, but I thought it'd be somethin' bigger than that."

Shinichi winced. "Well yeah, I guess that's true…there is something else much worse. It was a bit after Marissa put me in her car when the phone rang. It was her dad, and he said he was interested by whomever she kidnapped since she mentioned that I know where 'she' is, which I'm presuming is Haibara. I'm worried that he'll start looking around again since she was just put back in prison because of me."

Heiji's eyes widened. "Kudou, can't ya get some protection fer a while from Jodie-sensei an' the FBI? Ya wouldn't have to be as scared then."

Shinichi denied. "It's best if I just keep low for a while. Make sure not to tell anyone else about this, okay? I want to try and deal with it on my own before worrying everyone else." He wobbled to the door and suddenly froze, clutching his chest as his body was on the verge of sliding to the ground. "H-Hattori, get me inside _now_."

Alarmed, Heiji helped Shinichi back to his room, where Kaito had been pacing. He looked up and gasped. "Shin-shin, what's wrong?" He helped the Osakan detective place Shinichi in bed and gave him a pill.

Still gasping for breath, Shinichi tightly grasped Kaito's hand. "Don't worry, it's not a crash…I'll be fine soon…" His grip loosened as he passed out, making Kaito turn to Heiji with fear. "Heiji-kun, what happened? Where was he?"

Heiji pursed his lips. "He was on the roof o' the buildin' thinkin' 'bout somethin' an' was almost to the door when he suddenly got like this. I'm guessin' that he was overexertin' 'imself by doin' that, so we need to make sure he doesn't do that at home or else he may crash." He huffed. "I'm just hopin' he'll be okay after what he told me; there's a lot goin' on at once fer 'im."

X

It was about three in the morning when Shinichi regained consciousness. For some reason, he couldn't remember why he had blacked out in the first place. Shrugging it off, he observed the scene before him and couldn't hide his smirk. Kaito was asleep on the small couch, and Heiji had dozed off in the chair beside Shinichi's bedside.

 _I will admit it's nice to see them taking a break…_ He suddenly stopped in horror. _Wait, no one's watching me! How do I know they're not somewhere nearby or already did something to me?_ He checked but found no signs of anything happening.

He cursed as the world began to spin. _I guess I overdid it._ He lied back down and placed an arm over his eyes as nausea set in. _It's going to be a long recovery._

Shinichi remained awake on the verge of vomiting until Kaito awoke a few hours later. He felt so miserable that he could only moan the magician's name.

Kaito gasped. "Shin-shin, what happened? Here, take this pill!" He gave Shinichi an emergency pill and woke Heiji in the process.

"What's all the ruckus 'bout?" he grumbled, rubbing a hand over his eyes. He jumped when seeing the situation. "Oi, ya tried to do too much again, didn'tcha? Ya should know to be more careful, Kudou!"

Shinichi's foggy mind took a moment to process what Heiji had said. When it finally clicked, he turned his bloodshot eyes to the Osakan. "Whaddya mean, Hattori?" he slurred, greatly confused. "Is that what happened yesterday to make me black out?"

Heiji frowned. "Yeah, ya were on the roof talkin' to me 'bout somethin' an' almost to the door when ya keeled over. I helped ya back here, an' ya passed out after sayin' it was just 'cuz ya overworked yerself. Don'tcha remember, Kudou?"

Shinichi denied. "I don't remember that last part, no."

Heiji hummed. "Well, it's best if ya get some sleep since ya probably have a fever. We'll wake ya when it's time to leave, 'kay?"

Shinichi closed his eyes but didn't sleep for a long while; instead, he was worrying about something he felt…someone was watching him.

"Heiji-kun, what's wrong?" Kaito noticed Heiji with an odd expression on his face.

Heiji shook his head, forcing his characteristic grin to return. "Ah, it's nothin'! We should be seein' if Kudou's parents are here yet so we can all get to his house." He quickly pushed Kaito and himself out of the room for Shinichi to calm down from what was going on.

Shinichi immediately jumped up, wincing as his head began to pound, and made his way to the window to look outside. He scanned the area, finally finding a woman in black with long, wavy blonde hair walking away. _That was Vermouth…what was she doing here? Did she know about my kidnapping and came to see how I was? But why didn't she disguise herself and come in? What is she hiding now?_ He returned to bed and felt comforted enough to fall into a deep sleep just as his parents, Heiji, and Kaito were returning.

Kaito rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Wow, we weren't even gone for five minutes and he's out cold!"

Heiji agreed. "I'm bettin' it's 'cuz his parents are here that he feels safer."

Yusaku gave a soft smile. "Yes, it's true that he sleeps better with me and my wife nearby." He paused. "But you make it sound like you know something about what's been bothering him. Can you tell us?"

Heiji hesitated. "Well, I promised Kudou I wouldn't tell anyone else an' try to not do too much concernin' it. I think ya understand, don'tcha?"

Yusaku bowed his head. "Of course. He doesn't want to tell me since I'd have to tell his mother, who would greatly panic. He has great trust in you, Heiji; you should feel honored to be so close to him. Kaito's the same way—I didn't think they'd start dating, especially with the circumstances he's in."

Pouting, Yukiko tightly hugged her husband. "Enough with all the sad talk! It's been far too long, and I want Shin-chan home in his bed _now_!"

Everyone knew there was no point in trying to argue, so they drove to the Kudou home and helped get Shinichi into bed.

Yukiko suddenly clapped her hands, her eyes lit up. "Hey, how about we play some games? I think we have a few new ones downstairs."

Heiji shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind. Kuroba?" He turned to the magician, who had already seated himself beside Shinichi. "Oi, ya know ya should be takin' a break from watchin' 'im so much!"

Kaito sighed. "I know, Heiji-kun, but I know he can't sleep unless someone's with him. Besides, he still has a high fever I need to lower."

Yusaku put a hand to his chin. "Well, I think that Haibara girl made a medicine to help with things like that, correct? Why can't you just give him a pill and relax a bit? It's not very good if the caretaker gets sick from overworking themselves."

Kaito's shoulders sank. He knew there was no way he could force his way out. "Alright, I guess…" He reluctantly stood up, gazing at Shinichi once more before quietly leaving.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, Kaito did have a bit of fun playing a variety of games that afternoon and evening. He managed to relax enough to realize how tired and short on sleep he had been. Yawning again, he rubbed at his eyes. "I should be getting back upstairs to check on Shinichi," he mumbled drowsily. He started to leave when Heiji placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Wait, Kuroba, ya look pretty worn out. How 'bout I keep watch fer ya so ya can get some sleep?" He knew Kaito wouldn't figure out his ulterior motive with how foggy his mind probably was.

Kaito gave a sleepy smile. "Gee, thanks, Heiji-kun. Make sure to be extra careful, okay? He doesn't need anything else happening to him." He stumbled up the stairs and collapsed into bed, unaware of what happened shortly after concerning two detectives.

Heiji slowly entered Shinichi's room and frowned when seeing him tossing and turning. "I guess I was right then," he thought aloud. He sat at Shinichi's bedside and waited a mere ten minutes before he awoke with a gasp, his face pale and sweaty as he clutched at his chest.

"S'okay, Kudou, it was only a dream. Go back to sleep…" Heiji began to soothe the drained Shinichi, making him sway.

"Hattori…" He finally felt safe, so he allowed sleep to overcome him.

Heiji lied Shinichi back down and adjusted the blanket with a huff. "I hope that was a sign of improvement, Kudou."

X

Kaito awoke at about eight the next morning and couldn't help but shake his head when finding Heiji gone and a note in his place. "Really, what was so important for him to leave so early in the morning?"

 _Sorry, I have to leave earlier than I hoped. Kazuha's gonna kill me…_

 _~Hattori Heiji_

Kaito snickered and quietly left. "I see now." Suddenly, his phone rang. He knew the number, so he answered and talked with the person about coming over that afternoon. However, his plans were changed a couple hours later when another person showed up.

"Hey, it's Ahoko! I was wondering when you'd start bothering me. So what's up?"

Aoko refrained from smacking the grinning Kaito. "Are you available today?" she asked, surprisingly calm.

Kaito's eyebrows furrowed. "I suppose I can be, but why? You sound like it's important."

Aoko bit her lip. "Well, I guess it is…" She took a deep breath and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Let's just say there's something about my attack that I never told Kudou-kun."

Kaito nodded. "Okay, we can go somewhere and talk. First, I should tell Shin-shin that I'm leaving."

Aoko's expression saddened. "C-could I see him? I heard from my dad that he was involved in something and seriously injured."

Kaito agreed and let her inside. "He was kidnapped in the middle of the night and held hostage for 48 hours. I don't want him to see you since he'd figure out you're hiding something." He gestured into Shinichi's room, where he was still sound asleep.

Aoko gasped. "He was hurt that badly?! He should be in a hospital!"

Kaito smirked. "I think he'll be okay soon; he's rather stubborn when he puts his heart and mind into it. Now wait outside the room where he can't see you, okay? I'm going to wake him."

Aoko did so, completely aware that Kaito wanted her to listen.

Kaito strode to Shinichi's bedside and shook him. "Shin-shin, get up for a minute—I need to tell you something!"

Shinichi stirred and opened his heavy eyes. "Kaito, you know I'm trying to sleep…" he mumbled groggily.

Kaito ruffled his hair. "I know, but I needed to tell you that I'm leaving for a little while and someone's coming over in a bit."

Ignoring the pounding headache he had, Shinichi sat up, his eyes wide. "Where are you going? Where are my parents? Who's going to stay with me and keep me safe?"

Kaito rubbed his back with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, my _Tantei-kun_! I'm just going to see an old friend from high school, and your parents had to leave for some TV interview about that drama your mom starred in. As for who's coming to stay with you…I'm not telling!" He paused and leaned closer to Shinichi, making him blush. "You're going to miss this too, aren't you~" He kissed Shinichi until he was pulled away a few seconds later. _Hm, so he's more comfortable when it's just us…_

" _Ba'arou_ , you know I wouldn't miss those cheesy pick-up lines." The way Shinichi acted made Kaito a bit surprised.

 _So he_ does _like the kissing now? I'll have to test this~_ He snatched another quick kiss before lying Shinichi down in bed. "Well, I have to get going. Sleep well and make sure to eat something later!"

Shinichi closed his eyes and forced himself to relax. _Nothing will go wrong!_ He told himself. _I shouldn't be…_ he stopped. _Am I still indecisive about that? I should think it over later tonight since I won't sleep well._ He turned over and returned to sleep just as Kaito left.

He sighed. "It appears he's still having some sort of anxiety he won't tell me about, but at least he's sleeping this time." He turned to Aoko, and his eyes sparkled upon seeing her reddened face.

"W-w-what was that?" she stuttered, utterly shocked. "Are you and Kudou-kun…?"

Kaito snickered. "You bet we are! He finally said yes when I was stuck in bed after my shot to the lung. It happened to be on my birthday when he agreed, so it was quite the surprise!"

Aoko flushed. "Well, I-I'm happy for you, Kaito. Kudou-kun too. But let's get going; this house seems a bit creepy to me."

Kaito nodded. "I need to call someone while we walk there though." He called the soon-to-be guest at Shinichi's home and told them he wouldn't be there and to be quiet in case Shinichi was still asleep. "Make sure to have him relax too!" He hung up and quirked an eyebrow when seeing Aoko smiling faintly. "What's so funny?"

Aoko shook her head. "It's nothing much. I was just thinking how good you would be for Kudou-kun with the huge amount of compassion in your heart."

Kaito grinned. "Why thank you, Ahoko!" He made a rose appear and gave it to her. "Now let's find a café for us to indulge in delectable sweets and talk business!"

While the inspector's daughter and magician were busy chatting and eating, Shinichi slept until a familiar presence entered his home. Bolting upright, he held his breath as he waited for the presence to approach.

"Hey, do you think Shinichi-kun is awake?" a voice asked.

"Not sure," another responded. "We can go check though and show him the surprise." Two sets of feet dashed up the stairs and stopped when seeing Shinichi awake.

"A-Ayumi, what are you doing here?" Shinichi was honestly surprised to see the two remaining _Shounen Tantei-dan_ members.

Ayumi giggled. "Kaito let us come over and see you! After all, you were just hurt real badly, weren't you?"

Genta popped up with a laugh. "We have a surprise for you too! C'mon in, Mitsuhiko!"

Shinichi eyes slowly widened as Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko entered the room. "What are you doing back in Japan, Mitsuhiko?" he inquired. "Did your parents let you come?"

Coughing into a white mask, Mitsuhiko nodded. "Since I have time off from school, I asked if I could see my friends. However, I got a bit of a cold yesterday…"

Ayumi stuck out her bottom lip. "Why don't you rest in the extra bedroom, Mitsuhiko-kun? Genta-kun and I can stay with Shinichi-kun." She ushered Mitsuhiko out of the room and gave him cold medicine before tucking him into bed, returning with an excited look on her face.

"Oi, Ayumi, what are you planning now? It better be safe!" Genta glared at her.

Ignoring her pounding heart, Ayumi grabbed Shinichi's hand. "Hey, Shinichi-kun, let's go look at some old pictures to pass the time!"

Shinichi knew he couldn't say no, so he carefully stood up and let the kids drag him downstairs to the table in the entryway filled with framed photos and photo albums.

"Hey, look at this one! It's from when I was going to get that doll set from that nice lady! Ooh, here's us at the Kamen Yaiba filming site!" Ayumi and Genta happily reminisced at the pictures, but Shinichi was a bit bored. He leafed through the pages before stopping at one in particular and froze.

 _Why is my head hurting? Why does it seem familiar?_ He gasped and clutched at his head.

"S-Shinichi-kun, what's wrong? Have you been standing too long?" Ayumi quickly grew concerned. "Here, let me help…"

Shinichi fell to the floor with a moan. "I can almost remember…who attacked me that night in my bedroom…"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Uh...I hope no one forgot about that whole "memory loss" thing...(oops!) But at least it makes sense...right...? Lol I'm kidding; I really apologize for not remembering, but I guess it kind of comes at a decent time. Then there's Mitsuhiko. I don't like Mitsuhiko all that much, so that's why I made that story to get him AWAY, but now here he is because...reasons...I guess...*cough cough* writer's block... XD Oh well. Thanks again for the support~**

 **Okay, real quick since a few of you might actually read these things...I'm sick again. Somehow. This is the third or fourth time this YEAR, and tomorrow I have to perform in band and choir. With me not being able to breathe or sing well, I'm just...peachy. (Reference to something that happens in this story LOL. You'll find out a bit later though~)**


	41. Surprise 40: Concealed Guidance?

**Author's Pre-Note: Oh gosh, I forgot to upload the next chapter yesterday...*facepalms* I guess I kind of have an excuse since my grandparents got here after traveling 800+ miles (yeah, we're busy), but I still feel bad. So...here's the chapter. Again, _really_ sorry!**

 **Oh yeah, before I forget, Happy Easter!**

* * *

Surprise Forty: Concealed Guidance?

"Kaito, come quick! Shinichi-kun is acting weird!" Ayumi frantically dialed Kaito's number while screaming at Genta to help Shinichi back up.

Kaito turned deathly pale, making Aoko quirk an eyebrow. "What's up, Kaito?" she inquired, a bit concerned.

He shook his head to her. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"H-He was looking at pictures with me and Genta-kun when he suddenly collapsed and clutched his head. I think he said something about 'remembering an attack' as well…" Ayumi stuttered and winced as Shinichi cried out in pain and fell back to the floor.

Kaito began to tremble, making his grip on his phone loosen. "Okay, I'll be there in a couple minutes. Try to lie him down and get a cold cloth for his forehead." He hung up and stood up. "Something happened to Shinichi, so I need to get back. Thanks for telling me about that attack; I'm glad you still trust me."

Aoko's eyes widened. "Should I come too?" But the magician had already disappeared. She huffed. "He sure is the same as he was in high school…"

Kaito ran as fast as he could and made it to the Kudou home in two minutes flat. Bursting open the door, he could see Ayumi and Genta standing around the living room couch. On that couch was a shivering Shinichi quietly moaning in pain and holding his head. "Shin-shin!" He moved the kids aside and felt the detective's forehead, which was burning. Stroking his hair, Kaito pitched his voice to a soothing tone. "What happened, Shin-shin? Are you going to be okay?"

Shinichi partially opened his eyes. "Kaito…" he whispered as he grabbed his hand. "I think I'm starting to remember that attack. I can remember someone putting me to sleep before stabbing me, but…" He winced. "I can't quite remember who did it yet."

Kaito gave a warm smile. "Don't try to remember; you'll just hurt yourself. Worry about getting some sleep though while I make you something to eat." He turned to the kids. "Can you stay here and make sure he sleeps?"

Ayumi and Genta happily agreed, and Kaito began to stand up. However, Shinichi's grip tightened. "Wait, Kaito, don't go by yourself! Let me go with you!" He began to sit up, but a sharp pain in his chest made him fall back against his pillow with a short gasp.

Kaito ruffled his hair. "See? You're overworking yourself and worrying too much. How about you take this to help you sleep?" He made a sleeping pill appear in his hand.

But Shinichi had a feeling that wouldn't go away—something was telling him the person that wanted his life was close by. "No, you can't leave, Kaito! He'll take your life too!"

Kaito frowned. "What do you mean, Shin-shin? That person's nowhere nearby, is he?"

Shinichi gulped and nodded. "I can sense him close by; he could be waiting for an opportunity to catch us off guard." He could feel bile rising up his throat, so he spoke quickly.

Kaito sighed and leaned to Shinichi's ear. "Shin-shin, I can't sense anyone besides us and the kids. Since you've insisted though, I'll have Genta come with me while I make you some food. Try and get some sleep; it's not healthy to be worrying so much."

Shinichi looked like he wanted to say something more but instead turned away and pulled up the blanket over himself. "Alright. Don't let your guard down no matter what."

Kaito smiled and stood back up. "Genta, you can come with me and help with the food. Ayumi, you can stay here and make sure Shinichi gets some sleep." He quickly led Genta away to the kitchen to make soup.

An hour later, Kaito and Genta returned to the living room, where Ayumi shushed them. "Please be quiet; Shinichi-kun just fell asleep."

Relieved, Kaito set the bowl on the coffee table and sat in a recliner. "Well, it's good that he fell asleep—he seemed really worried again when he shouldn't be."

Ayumi looked up to Kaito, a bit hesitant. "Um, Kaito, I heard Shinichi-kun say some weird things in his sleep…that made me wonder something." She walked up to Kaito and whispered the words.

Surprised, the magician's eyes widened. "He said that? I guess I was right about _that_ then." He shook his head. "But I shouldn't be thinking about that right now. How about you two go find something to do?"

Genta quickly ran off, but Ayumi stayed put, her cheeks bright-pink. "Kaito, are you dating Shinichi-kun?" she asked quietly. "I couldn't help but notice how close you guys are now."

Kaito laughed. "I guess it was easy to figure out, huh? Yes, we recently started dating, but he's too shy to tell anyone."

Ayumi was slightly upset that it wasn't her dating Shinichi but knew it never would have happened with her being ten years younger. "I'm glad for you two," she said. "It seems like Shinichi's more expressive of what's going on."

Kaito looked out the window, a sad, distant look in his eyes. _If only he was like that…_

X

Shinichi continued to doze on and off until that evening after the kids went to bed (they had heavily insisted on staying). Kaito got up from the recliner and bent down beside the detective. "Shin-shin, do you want to go to bed as well? I couldn't help but notice you haven't slept well."

Shinichi's feverish mind couldn't tell his body to move. "I can't move," he mumbled sleepily, "so I can just stay here." He yawned and closed his eyes. "You look tired too, so you can sleep in my room."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Shin-shin, you're not worried about something happening?"

No reply. Kaito looked closer and realized Shinichi had finally fallen asleep. _Well, I guess your parents will be home soon anyway._ Snickering, he returned to the recliner and pulled out his laptop to work on a project.

Once said project was done, it was already half-past midnight, and the front door slowly opened.

"Ah, you're back!" Kaito put his laptop away with a smile. "How did the interview go?"

Yukiko was literally bouncing around. "Oh, it was great!" she exclaimed before noticing her son sleeping on the couch. "Oops, sorry. Um, how is he doing, Kai-chan? Is he getting better?"

Kaito frowned. "To be honest, I'm not sure. Ayumi and the two boys came over to see him, and he happened to have a bit of a scene when I was out talking to someone about an incident. From what he said, he could almost remember who attacked him a while ago."

Hushing his wife's outburst, Yusaku's eyes narrowed. "Is that all that happened? It sounds like it's missing something."

Kaito bit his lip. "I guess there is one other thing. Since it's probably no surprise that he barely slept all day, I can skip over that. Ayumi had been watching Shinichi while Genta and I made food when she heard him say some things in his sleep…" His voice broke off, for he didn't want to say the words.

Yusaku nodded. "I see. You'd better get him to bed and give him this then." He handed Kaito a new pill. "That Haibara girl said it can help his injuries and make sure he sleeps better."

Kaito thanked him and carried Shinichi in a princess-carry to his bed. "Shin-shin, get up for a moment," he shook Shinichi gently. "I need to talk to you about something."

Shinichi hummed in confusion—Kaito could tell he was tired. "What's wrong, Kaito? Did Ayumi and Genta break something?"

Kaito smirked. "No, it's nothing like that! I just need to talk to you." He climbed into bed beside Shinichi and held his hand. "If I ask you this, will you promise to answer me honestly?"

Shinichi turned to face Kaito with surprise. "O-of course I do, Kaito. What do you want to ask me?"

"Do you love me?" Kaito's indigo eyes sparkled with tears.

"I-yeah, I love you with all my heart. Why are you asking something like that?" But Shinichi knew deep inside what was going on, and he didn't want to admit it.

Kaito hesitated. "Maybe I should reword that. Shin-shin, do you still want to date me?"

Shinichi chose to try and get his way out of the tense conversation. "What do you mean? You know the answer to that."

Kaito tightened his grip on Shinichi's hand. "Ayumi heard you saying some odd things in your sleep that got me thinking…after all, you've been acting rather odd lately."

Shinichi averted his gaze from Kaito's worried glance. "I'm just worrying about something I shouldn't be, that's all. You don't need to be stressed over it."

Suddenly, a quiet sob came from Kaito as he fell on top of Shinichi in a hug and began to ball. "Shin-shin, you're hiding from me again! Every time you do that, something bad happens! Why don't you ever tell me what's wrong? After all, I am your caretaker and boyfriend!"

Shinichi closed his eyes and softly embraced Kaito. "Alright, I'll tell you. You have a right to know what's been going through my thoughts anyway." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Kaito, don't take this as an insult, but I've been doubting whether we should be so close. We've both been hurt by whoever wants my life, and it is just making us more vulnerable by staying the way we are."

Kaito gasped as he silenced his crying, tears still flowing down his cheeks. "But Shin-shin, doesn't it give us an advantage since there's two against one? Because there's no way you could be doing all this by yourself. You _need_ me, Shinichi, just as much as I need you. That's why we started dating, right? To make our relationship closer and official."

Shinichi chuckled quietly. "To be honest, I never thought of that. I was too concerned about you getting hurt with you being so close to me that I didn't really think about my own personal need for you. You're right, Kaito—I probably wouldn't have lasted easily without you here beside me." A yawn slipped from his mouth, making Kaito snicker.

"Well, my _Tantei-kun_ , I propose we continue this conversation tomorrow after we've both had some sleep. Be sure to wake me if something happens in the night, okay?" He lightly kissed Shinichi's forehead and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. "Oh, I'm staying here tonight to make sure you sleep well…and because the kids are in the guest room."

Shinichi wanted to go through his racing thoughts, but his eyes slid shut without him realizing. Once he finally returned to awareness, he jumped awake and checked the time on his phone. _I guess I dozed off for an hour then._ He turned to his other side and smiled when seeing Kaito fast asleep and snoring. _Good, I was worried he'd be up all night again._ Lying back down, he put his arms behind his head and began to think.

 _So Kaito is heavily intent on staying with me—not surprising there. But why doesn't he realize how dangerous it is doing so? Why can't he just leave me be to deal with this so he doesn't get hurt again?_ He continued thinking about his conversation with Kaito until he finally fell back asleep, the colorful dawn just beginning its magnificent show.

X

Ayumi woke a couple hours later and screamed. "Genta-kun, where's Mitsuhiko-kun? He's gone!" She shook Genta awake in a panic.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Ayumi," Genta mumbled, still half-asleep. "He probably went to a doctor or something for his cold. He could be downstairs too. Did you go check?"

Ayumi's eyes widened as she noticed a note on the nightstand. "Look, Genta-kun, it's from Mitsuhiko." She shakily picked it up and read it aloud.

 _Sorry, Ayumi-chan and Genta-kun, but I think my cold is worsening. I'm going somewhere to get special treatment that may be able to cure me in time for us to have fun before I must leave. I apologize in advance if I don't return in time; my mother is strict on things like that._

 _~Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko_

Ayumi sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness, I was worried something bad happened to him! After all, Shinichi-kun was just kidnapped."

Genta nodded. "I see what you mean now…"

"Hey, what happened?" Kaito entered the room, his hair still unkempt and eyes a bit glazed over. "Did I hear Ayumi scream?"

Ayumi blushed. "Sorry, Kaito, I didn't mean to wake you, I started worrying since Mitsuhiko-kun was gone. I found this note though that says he went to get treatment for his cold. Did I wake Shinichi-kun too?"

Kaito laughed. "Far from it! But from what I could tell, he didn't sleep much again last night, so I intend on letting him stay asleep as long as he needs to." However, his plan was interrupted halfway during the first round of their chess tournament when his phone rang.

He immediately recognized the number. "Hey, what's up, my little scientist?"

Ai refrained from snapping back due to her lack of sleep. "I'm short on time, so I'll make this quick. Did Tsubaraya-kun come over yesterday with a cold?"

Kaito slowly agreed, not quite catching on. "Yeah, but he left this morning to…" He gasped. "Oh, he's at your place! But how did he know where you live?"

Ai gave a mysterious chuckle. "He called late last night to see how I was doing. I could tell he was ill and told him to stop by if he needed…" She suddenly stopped with a groan. "Tell Kudou-kun about this for me; I have things to attend to." She quickly hung up, leaving Kaito slightly confused.

 _Well, I suppose she's rather busy with her little experiments_. He put his phone away with a smirk and stood up. "Sorry, Ayumi, but the chess game will have to wait a bit until I tell Shinichi the news."

Ayumi thought for a moment. "Hey, that was Ai-chan you were talking to, right? Is that where Mitsuhiko-kun is?"

Kaito nodded. "You're exactly right. For some reason though, she wanted me to tell Shinichi. I wonder why?" He shrugged and made his way to the detective's bedside. "Shin-shin, get up! I need to tell you something!"

Oddly, Shinichi wouldn't wake. It took five minutes of shaking and a big kiss on the nose to get him to open his eyes. "What's up?" he mumbled as his heavy eyes struggled to stay open. "I was actually sleeping for once, so it's gotta be important."

Kaito smiled gently and stroked Shinichi's hair. "I suppose so. Ayumi woke up this morning and panicked when seeing Mitsuhiko-kun gone, and your little chemist friend happened to call a few minutes ago. She wanted me to tell you that Mitsuhiko had gone there due to his cold worsening and may or may not come back here."

Shinichi's mind was too tired to focus on what was said, so he closed his eyes and returned to a deep sleep. He was not disturbed until Kaito came up late that afternoon with some lunch.

"Hello, my lovely boyfriend! How was your sleep?" Kaito set the plate of food on Shinichi's nightstand before wrapping him in an embrace.

"Pretty good, all things considered." Shinichi wriggled his way out of the hug and began to eat. However, there was something bothering his thoughts. "Hey, Kaito," he eventually spoke as he pushed the food away. "Did you tell me something earlier today when you woke me? I can't seem to remember anything."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I was explaining how Mitsuhiko-kun went to that scientist's house to get treatment for his really bad cold. Were you really that tired…?" He stopped when seeing Shinichi grow deathly pale. "Hey, Shin-shin, what's wrong? Did I make you overwork yourself?"

Shinichi shook his head and shakily stood up. "I'm going to see Haibara. I'll be back in at most three hours. If I'm not back by then, call one of us." Ignoring Kaito's protest, he ran and ran as fast as he could until arriving at the doorstep of Agasa and Ai's new home.

"Haibara, open up!" Shinichi pounded at the door, still gasping for breath.

Ai did so a moment later, and her eyes narrowed. "Kudou-kun, what have I told you about not pushing yourself? You're going to hurt yourself if you keep pulling stunts like this."

Shinichi pushed himself inside and collapsed on the couch. "Sorry, but I really need to talk to you. Where's Mitsuhiko?"

Ai tried to remain expressionless, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "He left a little while ago after I gave him some medicine. He was still a bit sick, but he wanted to discuss something with his parents about staying here once he recovers."

Even if Shinichi's mind was getting fuzzy, he still asked Ai, "But why did he come here? And how did he know you possessed medical knowledge?"

Ai rolled her eyes. "With how many colds you used to get…" She suddenly froze when realizing Shinichi's gasps for breath were actually gasps in pain. "Kudou-kun, are you alright? You look like you're about to pass out."

Shinichi was quite out of it at this point and wouldn't remember what happened, but he still spoke and acted somewhat normal. "I'm fine," he insisted, "I'm just sore from the running." He tried to stand, but Ai knew he was anything but fine.

"Kudou-kun, wait here while I take your temperature." She stuck a thermometer in his mouth to shut him up and waited for the beep. 103.2°. That was rather high for him to be "just fine," she thought to herself as she forced him to lie down.

"Haibara, I'm fine!" he exclaimed. "I'm just a bit drained from running so much so quickly!" He began to have a coughing fit and clutched at his chest as it became harder to breathe. "K-Kuso…"

Ai recognized the symptoms as being a serious immune crash—a kind of crash which was much worse and severe than his regular ones—and frantically searched for a strong enough pill to prevent it from getting worse. She finally found it and gave it to the suffering detective. "Take this," she whispered gently, a soothing smile on her face. "This will make you feel better."

The trembling Shinichi swallowed the pill and quickly felt its effects. His tense body loosened up as the pain went away, allowing him to fall into a still blackness.

Ai laughed to herself as she placed a blanket over the now peacefully slumbering Shinichi. "I guess he'll never learn, will he? I've been telling him since he first got the antidote to be careful about things like this, but he never paid attention to me. To be honest, that is probably a sign of true trust and love for those close to him."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ah~, isn't it fun when Haibara's always being her secretive self? *laughs* What's ironic is that I actually think of her as being my least favorite character...and somehow, I pull off her personality well. Maybe it's because I'm REALLY similar to her that I don't like her. XD Anyways, thanks again for the support~  
**

 **(Omigosh, it is SOOOOO amazing writing a KID heist for the first time! I wrote one in one of my two projects, which are Preventing the Truth and I'll Be There for You, and it was perfect! I love my Kai-chan so much, and I love how well I blended everyone's personalities and the scenario into the amazing-ness of a KID heist! And yes, "amazing-ness" is a word now. *faints*)**


	42. Surprise 41: By Accident or Design?

Surprise Forty-One: By Accident or Design?

" _Ojou-san_ , where's Shinichi? He said to call if he wasn't back in three hours." Kaito nervously asked Ai.

Ai huffed. "I should have figured as much. Kudou-kun came over to talk about something, but he seems to have overexerted himself running here and caused his immune system to crash. If you don't mind, could you come over so we can talk face-to-face?"

"O-of course, _ojou-san_. Just let me make sure the kids are okay enough to be by themselves." He hung up and went to the guest room, where Ayumi was helping Genta into bed.

"Really, Genta-kun, that's why you don't eat so much—it makes you tired! How are you supposed to help me take care of Shinichi-kun when Kaito gets him back?" She turned around and gasped when seeing Kaito in the doorway. "Oh, Kaito, what did Ai-chan say? Is he still at their house?"

Kaito quietly agreed and grabbed his bag filled with emergency supplies. "She said Shinichi isn't doing very well either, so I need to hurry over there. Will you two be okay by yourselves for a little while?"

Ayumi wanted to go too but knew she'd only be a burden. Holding back tears, she nodded and turned away from Kaito. "That's fine. Genta-kun and I could make some food if it takes you long enough." She paused. "Um, make sure Shinichi-kun gets better, okay?"

Kaito patted her head softly. "He'll get better, Ayumi; you should have faith in him!" Then he left, allowing Ayumi to burst into tears.

 _Shinichi-kun, I hate it when you get hurt…but I'm too afraid to tell you the truth of my feelings for you._

Kaito arrived at Agasa's new house a few minutes later and paled when seeing the passed out Shinichi lying on the couch, an expression of pain on his face. "Shin-shin…"

"He's tried to stay awake ever since I told him you'd probably come here." Ai appeared behind the magician with a spare blanket and cool, damp cloth. "I suggest you calm him down while I work on making some dinner; he seemed anxious about something." She gave him the blanket and cloth before wandering off to the kitchen.

Shinichi stirred once Ai was gone. "Kaito, you're okay? I was worried you'd get hurt with me gone, but Haibara said I couldn't leave…"

Kaito sat in the chair beside the couch and held Shinichi's hand. "Why wouldn't I be alright, Shin-shin? What had you so worried to run all the way here and make yourself crash?"

Averting his gaze, Shinichi didn't answer the question. All he said was that Kaito "wasn't as careful as he should be right now."

"But Shin-shin, what do I need to be careful about? Why aren't you telling me?" Kaito tried to pressure Shinichi into talking, but he wasn't getting anywhere. Finally, Ai came back with a plate of food and furrowed eyebrows when she saw the situation.

"You're still not talking, Kudou-kun? I figured you'd be the one to tell your _boyfriend_ everything, especially in this situation if I'm guessing right." She handed Shinichi the food, taking note of how much he blushed at the mention of the word 'boyfriend.'

" _Ba'arou_ , I'm not going to say anything until I'm absolutely certain. That would include Kaito." Figuring Ai was told by someone about the dating, Shinichi turned away from them to eat in peace—or as close as his troubling thoughts would allow.

Once he was done eating, his fatigue grew to be rather overwhelming. "Is it fine if I sleep for a bit, Haibara?" he yawned and lied back down. "It'd probably be 'beneficial for my health' or something like that."

Ai rolled her eyes. "I was going to have you do that anyway, _baka_. Make sure to not wake up unless it's absolutely important." She waited for him to fall into a deep sleep before turning to Kaito. "In case you were curious, I'm thinking he was tired due to him waking from the final stage of his seizure. You should go back to Kudou-kun's house in the meantime and keep an eye on the kids; I'll tell you if anything happens over here."

Kaito's expression saddened. "When can Shinichi come back home? He really needs to spend time at home relaxing instead of worrying about something like an immune crash."

Ai crossed her arms with a sigh. "While it may be true that he needs some time off, he's the kind of person to worry about things like this until they're completely dealt with. He can't fully feel comforted until he solves this case and puts the culprit in prison."

Two days later, Kaito was called over to take Shinichi home.

"He's well enough," Ai stated while glaring at the detective. "He's been insisting that he needs to go out and look into something anyway."

Kaito laughed. "That's Shinichi for you! I'll be there in about five minutes." Since the kids had left early that morning to return to school, the magician went alone to get his boyfriend.

"Kaito!" Shinichi waved him over, a small but genuine smile on his face. "How are the kids doing? Are they still hanging out at my place?"

Happy to see Shinichi in a better mood, Kaito ruffled his hair. "They're fine. Surprisingly, they left this morning since they had classes to go back to. I figured they would stay for at least another few days to make sure you were recovered! On a side note, how would you like to go out somewhere? It would be good to let your mind relax for once."

Shinichi's smile faded, and he hesitated. "I-I don't know, Kaito. What if Gin saw me?"

Ai wanted to comment but chose not to when Kaito interrupted with a smack to Shinichi's face.

"Shinichi, what has gotten into you lately? You were never this scared of Gin, and you're _still_ hiding something from me! I'm your boyfriend, right? That means you're supposed to tell me if something's bothering you, and I have to help you make it better." Tears stung in Kaito's eyes as he looked at the shocked Shinichi.

"K-Kaito, I didn't realize you wanted to know so badly. I already said when you asked two days ago that I have to be completely sure about it before telling anyone, and I know you didn't forget it."

"I know, Shinichi, but you should still tell me what's wrong; it tears me apart just as much as it does you if not more!" Kaito tightly hugged Shinichi as tears flowed down his cheeks.

After a period of silence, Shinichi breathed a deep sigh. "Kaito, believe me, I want to tell you everything that's been going through my head…but I just need some more time to go through it and see if I can get some answers to my questions. When I'm ready, you'll be the first to know, okay?"

Kaito sniffed and quickly wiped away the tears. "Thanks, Shin-shin, that makes me feel a lot better." Grabbing Shinichi's hand and thanking Ai for the help, he began walking down the road. "So Shin-shin," he chose to change the subject, "have you changed your mind about that walk? I could do this to make you feel safer." He pulled out a ball cap and placed it on Shinichi's head. "That way, people wouldn't easily recognize you."

Shinichi seemed a bit pale but chose to accept—after all, he hated seeing Kaito upset. The phantom thief snickered, his mood improved. "Then let's go!" They began to walk towards a district of Tokyo unknown to Shinichi until arriving at a park that wore a banner saying proudly, "Just Opened Thanks to All Your Help!"

"Wow, Kaito, this looks amazing!" Shinichi was in awe upon seeing the plants and insects in one of the trails. "How did you know about this?"

Kaito grinned and put a finger to his lips. "A magician never reveals his tricks!" They continued to walk down the trail for a while until a hand tapped Shinichi's shoulder, making him whirl around in surprise. "T-Takagi-keiji, what are you doing here?"

Takagi seemed shaken, making Shinichi wonder if there was a case. "I know this probably isn't the best time, but could you come with me for a little while?"

Kaito's eyes narrowed. "There was a case," he mumbled, "that's as clear as day. I know Shinichi probably wants to go help solve it, but he just had an immune crash and doesn't need the extra stress. Right, Shin-shin?" He turned to Shinichi, who wore an expression of deep thought.

"I'm sorry, Kaito, but do you think I could just see the scene at least? I could give them a clue they need to solve it…" But they both knew that Shinichi was curious about the case and wouldn't ignore it until he saw it for himself.

Kaito huffed. "Fine, you can go see the body. I, however, will stay far away from the scene and wait for you to finish what you have to do. But please make sure to be careful and let me know if you don't feel well, alright? That scientist friend of yours would kill both of us if something happened to you right after leaving her watchful eye."

Shinichi smirked. " _Hai_." He put his hands behind his head and followed Takagi to the crime scene, his hands quickly dropping to his side limply and his face paling as he digested what he saw. "Takagi-keiji, that's not _her_ , is it? Please say I'm wrong."

Takagi frowned. "So you're thinking the same thing too, hm? I immediately thought of her as well when seeing the similarities. However, this one is about ten years younger, and the cause of death seems to be an accident from falling off of that gazebo roof."

Indeed, it did appear so. There was a wooden ladder leaned against a gazebo with small but recent footprints heading upward. Upon further inspection, there was also a small and rather worn teddy bear laying on the edge close to where the young girl fell.

 _I'll admit it does look like an accident, but something about it bothers me. Why does this girl look so much like her? Who is this girl, and why was her teddy bear on the gazebo roof?_ With a troubled expression, he turned to Takagi. "Have you found out who this girl is?"

Takagi shook his head. "There hasn't been a single missing person's case fitting her description that was recently placed." He paused. "But this case is strange, Kudou-kun. Don't you feel something is off compared to ones like this?"

Shinichi could only agree, for a dark anxiety had placed itself in the pit of his stomach. "Yeah, it almost reminds me of…" His eyes widened, and he ran up to the gazebo roof. Sure enough, there were two sets of adult footprints as well as the child's.

 _So am I right?_ He searched a bit more before finding a set of fingerprints on the edge of the roof that appeared to be from the child. "Takagi-keiji, can you get these fingerprints analyzed? Maybe we can find out who she really is."

Takagi did so, taking note of how much Shinichi was trembling. "Um, Kudou-kun, I know you may not want to, but I think you should be heading home to rest; you look like you're about to pass out. Should I call Kuroba-kun over?"

Shinichi leaned against the gazebo as he struggled to breathe. "But can you guys solve this without my help? Isn't that why you looked for me?"

Takagi lightly patted Shinichi's head with a smile. "I'll admit it will be harder, but we can manage. I think Sato-san was calling another detective a bit younger than you that happened to be in the area anyway." He looked up and gasped. "There he is!"

Shinichi's slightly blurred vision moved upward as he saw who they had called. "Koichi…?" he mumbled faintly, his body on the verge of collapsing. "What are you doing here?"

Shimada Koichi laughed heartily. "A detective can smell out a crime, can they not? Besides, I happen to know Miwako-san rather well and help her with a lot of tough cases." He tilted his covered head a bit when seeing Shinichi's condition. "You don't look very well. Should I call an ambulance?"

Shinichi denied as he forced himself upright. "I-I'll be fine; you should worry more about solving this murder." He shakily began to walk, stopping by Takagi to whisper, "Be careful," and stumbled into Kaito's waiting arms.

"Shin-shin, what happened?" Surprised, Kaito sat him on a bench. "You overworked yourself when I told you not to, right? That _ojou-san_ is going to have a fit about this!" He was about to give Shinichi an emergency pill when the detective suddenly clutched at his chest.

"Kaito, get me home _now_ …before anyone sees…"

Kaito's expression filled with alarm as realization hit. He quickly picked up Shinichi in a princess-carry and took him home as fast as he could without causing a disturbance. "Shin-shin, should I tell Haibara-san about this yet?" he asked as he placed Shinichi in his bed. "Maybe she could help with the pain and such."

Shinichi moaned a quiet "no" as the world slowly faded to black. _Please…I am hoping with all of my heart that the girl I saw wasn't you, Cordelia. If it was—no, we made that promise all those years ago, and you aren't the kind of person to break promises! I know I got that email a few days ago from you, but I will never believe something like that could ever happen to someone like you. Cordelia, I know I could never admit it to your face, but…you were always better than me._

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hmm, so now we finally get to the story of Cordelia. Again, this is a made-up character using the name "Cordelia Gray" as a basis, but I really loved how she turned out! Just an FYI for you readers though, her story takes up the next two chapters and will (kinda) have a lot to do with the rest of the story. Also, thanks for all of the support~  
**

 **(Wow, it was really close to being too late for me to update today/tonight! Sure, I had a lot of homework spring on me last-second, but I somehow got it done with just enough time to update this for you guys! I hope you enjoyed!)**


	43. Surprise 42: Holding Hostages?

Surprise Forty-Two: Holding Hostages?

 _It all began one evening many years ago at a fancy hotel. In said hotel was a party for famous mystery writers celebrating another year of successful mysteries._

 _"Who's this?" a young woman with blonde hair asked Kudou Yusaku. "Is he your son?"_

 _Yusaku looked down at his feet, where young Shinichi was bouncing in excitement. "Yes," he chuckled, "this is my son Shinichi. He insisted that he come since there are a few people he would like to meet. He's also rather keen in observation, so he may be able to participate in this year's game."_

 _The woman nodded and bent down beside Shinichi. "I have a child too, one about this age. I think she went to a different room though since she wanted to check something." She smiled. "I guess we both have smart kids, hm?" She ruffled Shinichi's hair, making him blush._

 _"Hey, I'm not a little kid!" he exclaimed. "I'm Kudou Shinichi, and I'm going to be the best detective ever!"_

 _"Well, I happily await that happening, Meitantei-san." The woman winked at Shinichi before leaving to join some of the other guests._

 _"Hey, Shinichi, how about you go find some other kids your age?" Yusaku patted his son on the head. "I have some grown-up things to attend to."_

 _Shinichi crossed his arms. "Fine, maybe I could find someone that wants to talk to me." He marched off towards a separate room in search of another child. He finally found someone sitting in the lobby. From what he could see, it was a small child wearing a big coat to fully hide their appearance that was reading a thick detective book. "Hi, I'm Shinichi," he said nervously. "Were you left out of the party too?"_

 _The child slowly looked up from their book, piercing blue eyes meeting Shinichi's. They stared at him for a moment before nodding in assurance and putting the book down. "I see you're the same as I. So you want to tell me something?"_

 _Shinichi's eyes widened. "How could you tell?" His heart began to pound happily, for he could tell the child had the ability of a great detective like he did._

 _The child jumped up from the seat and pulled down their hood, revealing long, blonde curls of hair. "It was rather simple. Your feet are pointed directly towards me, meaning you don't plan on leaving this area or conversation. Also, I doubt someone such as Kudou Yusaku's son would leave the party unless he was to be kicked out while they set up their little game. If that were the case, he would feel bored and want to talk to someone, preferably someone his age with similar interests."_

 _Shinichi grinned. "Wow, you're pretty good!" He paused as he put a hand to his chin. "But from how you worded that, it makes it appear likely that you have been here to one of these parties before. That would mean you know where we can go enjoy ourselves while the adults play a dumb game."_

 _The girl sighed. "Yes, I made that a bit obvious, didn't I? I suppose we could go to the mystery library they have set up for events like this. My mother told me they have it for reference in case an author needs to research something if they happen to get a new idea for their book."_

 _Shinichi was elated. "They have mystery books here?! Then let's go…" He stopped when realizing the girl was not moving to show him the way. "Oi, what's up? Is something wrong?"_

 _The girl jumped a bit as she returned from her thoughts. "Ah, I apologize for that. The library is on this floor down the hallway and on the last door to your left." She pointed in the direction of the hallway before sitting back down._

 _But Shinichi wanted his new detective friend to come with—he could tell something was bothering her. "Why don't you come too?" he extended his hand with a soft smile. "After all, books are filled with lots of useful information and can be a distraction to things that bother you."_

 _The girl was surprised. No one, let alone someone like young Shinichi, had ever shown this sort of kindness towards her; everyone would leave the "mystery freak" alone to her demented thoughts. In a way, she thought as Shinichi urged her forward to the library, it seemed as if he was the only one in the world that could understand her and her "problem."_

 _"Now isn't this better than that muddy lobby?" Shinichi turned to face the girl and grew alarmed when seeing her crying. "Oi, did I hurt you?" He quickly released his grip on her hand, unsure of what else to do._

 _Wiping tears away, the girl shook her head. "No, you didn't hurt me. It's just that… well, I guess you're the only one that's been so kind to me with my stupid problem."_

 _Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?" he inquired. "You seem pretty normal to me. In fact, you seem like the person to have lots of friends."_

 _The girl gave a short laugh. "No, I'm afraid your deduction is incorrect there. The only friends I've ever had have been the fictional detectives that I come across while reading." She gave a long sigh. "Since you've been so kind, I should probably tell you my terrible story. It started on my first day of kindergarten. I had already seemed weird with the fact that the first books I read were Sherlock Holmes, but there was something else about me that disgusted the kids and scared the teachers. Every day at random times, I would suddenly give a theory that seemed so absurd that everyone laughed and made fun of me…until it came true."_

 _Shinichi gulped. "And what was that theory? Was it about the teacher secretly stealing kids' lunch money or something?"_

 _The girl shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. "I wish it was that simple. Every day, I theorized that our teacher would die of a heart attack during his math lesson. After spending three months in counseling and hearing comments and rumors spread about me, I almost believed that the theory would never be true. Then, on the day we were starting to learn subtraction, the teacher suddenly stopped speaking. I looked up and saw him clutching his chest and trying to not frighten the others._

 _"'Don't worry,' he had faintly whispered to us, 'I just need to go to the restroom. Make sure to be good while I'm gone, alright?' Then he left, and I followed soon after saying I needed to fill my water bottle._

 _"I found my teacher collapsed a few feet away struggling to hold on to life. His last words…" She faltered slightly. "His last words were an apology to me for never believing my deduction skills."_

 _Shinichi gave a low whistle. "What happened after that? How did the teachers and classmates treat you with that kind of deduction?"_

 _The girl shrugged. "Who knows what they thought of me at the time or even now. My mom made me switch schools without ever saying why, but that's not the end of the story. Every time I went to a new school, a new theory would arise in my head, and I would speak it to everyone for long enough that I wouldn't think of it happening. Then, when I would least expect it, it would. Six people in all died before my mother chose to home-school me." She smirked. "She's rather brave in my opinion. She took all of the rumors and whiplash from others due to my problem and still became a famous author."_

 _Seeing the girl start to tremble, Shinichi placed his hand on top of hers. "But does it really matter what those guys think of you if they're not even in your life anymore? I think you're really awesome!" He gave a huge grin to try and brighten her mood._

 _The girl slowly looked up, still quite surprised at his acts of kindness. "A-are you sure?" she shakily asked in a whisper. "I think those stories would signify anything but that."_

 _Shinichi denied. "Nah, it just shows you're going to be a really great detective someday; maybe better than I'll be!"_

 _The girl gave a sad smile. "Thank you, Kudou-kun."_

 _"You can call me Shinichi, ya know!" They both laughed, unaware of what was occurring just down the hall where their parents and the other authors were to start their game._

 _"Well, ladies and gents, I assume you're all excited to hear of what's going to happen during this year's game!" An announcer began to speak on the stage. "As you all may remember, last year was a simple whodunit with the incredible Kudou Yusaku as the winner for the third year running. However, I doubt even he can deduce what will happen…"_

 _The lights suddenly cut, plunging the room into darkness. "Be careful," Yusaku whispered to the ones closest to him, "I heard the door lock."_

 _"Now, are you ready?" The announcer maniacally laughed. "Because I have set up a bomb somewhere in this hotel that it set to go off at precisely 7:06 tomorrow morning, and you have to find out where it is without leaving this room! If you even dare try leaving or using your phone to call the police, I'll set it off right now."_

 _Quiet murmurs of panic slowly spread through the room, but Yusaku and the blonde woman from before were smiling to themselves, for they would easily trust their kids with their lives in this kind of situation._

 _"Do you have an idea on how to let them know about our situation?" the woman asked Yusaku as the lights came back on. "It's not like they're just going to suddenly look for a bomb."_

 _Yusaku frowned. "That may be so, but we can't use our phones either. Maybe this invention the professor made will help us." He carefully pulled out a small device with a single button. "It's similar to a transceiver but sends messages in Morse code with quiet enough noises that can't be heard unless it's directly up to your ear."_

 _The woman seemed impressed but not comforted. "How will he know you're trying to send a message then if he can't hear it?" she inquired._

 _Yusaku put a finger to his lips. "It begins to vibrate when I turn mine on, so he should already have it…" He paused and put his up to his ear, paying close attention to the long and short beeps. "Well, it seems your daughter is quite smart with gadgets; she already found it in my son's pocket and knew it was a Morse code messenger."_

 _The woman smiled. "That's my daughter, alright. But why didn't your son answer?"_

 _Yusaku waited a moment to hear more of the message. "Ah, it appears he fell asleep while reading Sherlock Holmes and that she happened to be beside him when it went off." He paused. "Oh, now she's wondering why I'm sending a message."_

 _"Be careful though, I think that announcer can sense you're onto something." The woman adjusted herself ever so slightly to block Yusaku from the announcer's field of vision._

 _Yusaku whispered thanks and concentrated on sending the message. "Don't panic, but the game we authors were to participate in was in fact a trap. We are not able to leave the main hall or alert the police about our situation."_

 _"What situation? What happened?" The girl was quickly becoming concerned, for her instincts had been telling her since first arriving that something like this would indeed happen._

 _"There is a bomb somewhere in this hotel, and you and my son must find it by 7:06 tomorrow morning. However, I know my son cannot operate without some sleep, so I'd suggest waiting a little while before waking him and explaining what's going on. Also, be careful when traveling in case you alert any of the bombers; use the stairs if you must. For now, I must make sure the others here aren't panicking."_

 _"Thank you, Kudou Yusaku-kun." She put the messenger back in Shinichi's pocket, deciding it was best to stay put with the slumbering boy. Watching his chest slowly rise and fall, she too felt a tranquil peace that almost put her to sleep, but she forced herself not to give in._

 _'I must think,' she repeatedly told herself, 'I must find out where the bomb is hidden.' She stood back up and chose to search all of the rooms on that floor excluding the main hall—after all, the mystery writers could find a bomb if it was in that room. When she returned to the library, she could see Shinichi curled up in a chair and shivering._

 _The girl held back a laugh and gently placed her coat over him. She couldn't resist a small giggle when seeing Shinichi sink further into the plush seat with a sigh. "There, that should help you sleep better." She lightly stroked Shinichi's hair, getting back up due to the odd lightness in her heart._

 _'Is this what it feels like to care about someone that's nice to you?' she wondered before shaking her head. 'I should stop thinking such trivial thoughts and return to what matters. I think it would be best to search the next floor while Kudou…or rather Shinichi rests a bit more.' So she did just that, returning to the library at exactly 2:15 A.M._

 _'I know you may be tired, Shinichi, but this is a situation that needs more than one detective's mind.' She lightly shook the boy. "Hey, Shinichi, you need to wake up," she whispered. "It's really important."_

 _After a moment, Shinichi stirred and slowly sat up. "What's the matter?" he mumbled drowsily, rubbing a hand over his eyes and yawning. "Is the party over yet?"_

 _"Not quite," the girl whispered hesitantly. For some reason, she had the urge to let him go back to sleep so he wouldn't be hurt. 'Baka, that isn't going to keep him from getting hurt,' she rationalized with herself. 'If anything, that raises the chance of him being hurt from the bomb's explosion.'_

 _Shinichi could tell something was wrong and stood up. "What happened? Did something happen to my dad? Please don't say yes."_

 _The girl sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, but you're correct. From what your dad sent in the Morse code message, it's clear that there is a bomb somewhere in this hotel, and the authors can't leave the main hall or alert the police." She bit her lip. "Although, I have a different feeling about it…"_

 _Shinichi felt himself go pale, but he knew this girl could potentially hold the key to solving the case whether she realized it yet or not. "What do you mean 'different feeling'?"_

 _The girl slowly looked up into Shinichi's eyes. "I don't know why, but I feel that the authors are going to get some hints we can use to our advantage." She quickly turned around. "So I suggest we start looking; I already did the first two floors. Also, be sure to not use the elevator so as to not alert any potential accomplices." She left the room before Shinichi could say anything and escaped to the bathroom, collapsing in tears._

 _'Why? Why didn't I tell him all of it?' For that was not the only feeling she had about the case. Indeed, the other feeling was far more dangerous and terrifying to her. That feeling was that someone dear to her would be harmed no matter if they find and disable the bomb or not. Before today, she would have thought that her mother would be killed since she cared for no one else, but now Kudou Shinichi was added on that list._

 _'Why are my stupid thoughts always coming true? Why am I the one that has the stupid mental problem? Will I even be able to prevent it from getting bad, or will this be like my poor kindergarten teacher's demise?'_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, this is just in case some of you were freaked out by the whole thing being in italics: _it's not an accident_ (see what I did there?). I did that because this chapter, as well as the next, are flashbacks and are therefore _in the past_. It adds that little effect with it being in italics and makes the reader understand that it happened in the past and shaped the character into who they are now. **

***sigh* Now that that's out of the way, I must continue with my thanks to you readers. I know I do this in every note, but I am honestly surprised anyone is reading this story...let alone so many. There's already close to a hundred people reading AND ENJOYING my story, and it brings happy tears to my eyes. The only other time I ever get happy tears is when my secret crush starts being nice/friendly to me again... *ahem* Anyway, I'm getting off track; I don't want you guys trying to tease me or anything.**

 **Thanks for all the support; the two upcoming projects (some later than others) are going to be amazing because of the DETERMINATION you've filled me with~**

 **(Oh my gosh, I just made a stupid Undertale reference at such a "bad time"... XD)**


	44. Surprise 43: Holding Promises?

**Author's Pre-Note: Okay, so I don't do this often (unless I forget to update or something), but I wanted to respond to a review by..."Pantsu VN." Yes, I am now a huge fan of Undertale...I was reluctant to get myself into the fandom simply because I had no idea what to expect. I didn't know anything about the series as a whole, in fact, so I watched all of Markiplier's livestreams of the game and loved it. I loved it so much that I listen to the soundtrack all the time when I'm writing and am now considering a fanfic (maybe Frisk X Sans?). That depends on who's out there though that will read my story. I know that ship, as well as almost any other, is popular among the fans, so I might try it someday. Of course, this is after I finish writing Preventing the Truth and I'll Be There for You...and possible the sequel to this. Yeah, that's not a good sign, I know, but I'm getting close to done with Preventing the Truth already depending on what surprises I decide to plan. We will be filled with DETERMINATION as I slowly prepare myself for a fanfic of Undertale... ugh, that reference was made at such a BAD TIME. XD Anyways, thank you for the review and continued support!  
**

 **Everyone, enjoy the next chapter concluding Cordelia's side-story~**

* * *

Surprise Forty-Three: Holding Promises?

 _"Hey, are you okay? It sounds like you're crying." Shinichi had sat himself outside of the bathroom when noticing the girl's sobbing. "Are you worried that we can't find the bomb?"_

 _The girl sniffed and opened the door, hastily wiping away the tears. "N-no, it's not that; you shouldn't concern yourself with it."_

 _Shinichi shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "So where shall we start searching for this bomb? We have thirty more floors to search in less than five hours."_

 _The girl nodded. "That's quite true. I would think it would be on the upper levels to make it easier for us to be trapped. After all, the roof would collapse, and the fire would slowly surround us inside."_

 _But Shinichi disagreed. "Wouldn't it cause more damage if it were on the lower levels though?" He grinned and turned to the girl. "This is rather exciting, is it not? The battle of two great detectives shall now commence!"_

 _The girl rolled her eyes and watched as Shinichi ran off. 'He makes it seem like no big deal…' She suddenly stopped and rushed back for her coat, for something had caught her attention. Feeling inside the pocket, she came across Shinichi's Morse code messenger. 'Why did he give me this?' She turned it on and plopped into a seat._

 _"Shinichi?" Yusaku frowned when sending the message. "Did something happen?"_

 _"No, nothing happened yet. I just told Shinichi about what happened, and it appears we have two different opinions on where it is. He just ran off to search the lower levels, and I'll search the upper ones in a moment. First, why do you think he gave me this? It's not like my mother will contact me; besides, it's his device!"_

 _Yusaku inwardly laughed to himself before sending a quick farewell message. "Ah, it appears the announcer is back. I'll see if he gives a clue to me, and you can begin searching the upper levels." He pocketed his messenger as he watched the announcer appear on stage._

 _"Hello, my detective friends! How goes the search?" He laughed. "Oh wait, you can't even leave, can you? I suppose I could give you a hint and a little leeway." He gestured to himself. "My outfit is the hint, and I'll let this group as a whole get only one chance to guess where the bomb is hidden." He turned off the lights long enough for himself to disappear._

 _Yusaku and many other detectives quickly noticed the problem—the announcer had changed the color of his suit numerous times throughout the night. First was white, then blue, gray, purple, red, and finally black. Because of this, the detectives found themselves with differing theories concerning which room the bomb was held in._

 _"Yusaku-kun, do you know where it is?" The blonde woman from before nervously asked. "I had hoped that the hint would be a little easier to work with."_

 _Yusaku wore a smirk on his face, which gave it away to the announcer that had been closely watching with his dark green suit looking rather sharp. "Ah, it appears Kudou Yusaku has an answer! Would you care to share your thoughts with us?"_

 _Protests began to ring throughout the hall._

 _"No way! We're not risking our lives with his lousy theory!"_

 _"Yeah, it's not like he's ever dealt with a real crisis before!"_

 _"My deduction's better!"_

 _"Mine's more accurate!"_

 _The announcer cut the lights once more to silence the group. "So Kudou Yusaku, what will you do? Will you listen to your instincts or your colleagues?"_

 _Everyone held their breath as they waited for an answer. When Yusaku finally spoke, they were honestly surprised._

 _"I choose to wait. After all, we still have about four hours, and you could give another hint that disproves my theory."_

 _A period of silence came once again until the announcer began to clap his hands with a grin. "Bravo! You took that better than I thought you would! But what would happen, pray tell, if I decide to not give you another hint?"_

 _Yusaku shrugged. "I suppose the authors and detectives here will figure out something."_

 _The announcer raised an eyebrow. 'Hm, that makes me wonder if…' Shaking his head, he laughed aloud. "Well, I happily await that! See you soon~" He used his trick once again to leave the main hall, a transceiver appearing in his hand. "Agent One, do you hear me?"_

 _A low, gruff voice responded after a moment. "What's up, Boss?"_

 _"I need everyone to move into position B immediately. Someone's roaming these halls and breaking the rules of the game—they must be punished."_

 _X_

 _'Where did he run off to?' The young girl sighed as she searched the top floor of the hotel. 'He needs to know about the clue.' She opened the door to the last room and paled when seeing the scene before her. Shinichi was there alright…but passed out in the middle of the floor._

 _"Shinichi, wake up!" She bent down beside the boy and shook him, ignoring the small beeps coming from her coat pocket._

 _Shinichi groaned and slowly sat up, his hand at his head. "What happened? It feels like a shelf of thick books fell on my head…"_

 _The girl gasped upon noticing a red mark on the back of Shinichi's neck. "Shinichi, were you hit with a stun gun?"_

 _Shinichi's eyes widened. "Y-you're right, I think. I remember searching this room when some weird buzz noise came from behind me and hit me." He paused. "Hang on, what's that vibrating noise? Is Tou-san trying to contact us with the messenger?"_

 _The girl agreed. "He said he was given an idea as to where the bomb is located and wants both of us to go together and investigate." She pulled out the messenger and sent a reply saying she was ready._

 _"Alright, I want you two to check the following room…but please be careful. The room is the one in which the color white and a thief would be involved with."_

 _The girl and Shinichi exchanged glances and shook their heads. "We don't get it," the girl admitted. "Can you explain further?"_

 _Yusaku laughed to himself—he understood how they didn't get it since they were rather young. "I would like you to check room 1412. This is because he mentioned that we got only one chance and that the suit he wore was the hint. I figured it was white, his first suit, and only the gentleman thief Kaitou 1412 wears a flashy suit like that." He paused. "Please be careful; I have a feeling you're not the only ones wandering this hotel."_

 _However, Shinichi didn't want to heed his father's warning. "Ah, he's just an old man; he hasn't even been around here to prove it anyway! C'mon, let's go to the room and see if the bomb's there!" He grabbed the girl's hand and led her to said room before she pulled him back._

 _"Hush, I can hear something nearby."_

 _Shinichi's eyes widened. "Does that mean Tou-san could be right?" he whispered._

 _The girl shrugged. "Not sure. We'll have to wait and see what happens."_

 _So they waited in the shadows by room 1412, unsure of what else to do. After long enough, Shinichi was about to ask if they could go yet when his small body flew backwards into a wall, his head smacking against it to make him dizzy._

 _"Boss was right, there are some brats 'round here." A large, buff man wearing black grumbled to himself as he approached the terrified girl with an unsheathed knife. "What are ya doin' here, little girl? Ya know it ain't safe to wander alone."_

 _The girl's instincts were telling her to run and save Shinichi. "I-I'm here to stop you!" she exclaimed, forcing her body to move. "I won't let you get away with what you're planning!"_

 _The man in black laughed. "Well, ya got some guts sayin' that to…oi!" He noticed the girl had run into the room and was searching for the bomb. "Why, ya little brat!" He tossed his knife and pulled out a pistol. "This oughta teach ya a lesson…"_

 _The gunshot that rang out brought Shinichi back to his senses. 'No…he hurt her. How dare he shoot an innocent child!' Angered greatly, he pulled out one of Agasa's gadgets and crept behind the man. "Hey, bad guy, take this!"_

 _As the surprised man slowly whirled around, gun still in hand, Shinichi fired his gadget, knocking the man out cold. "Hey, are you okay?" He rushed up to the girl and gasped when seeing her clutching a bleeding arm. "You were shot after all! Here, let me help."_

 _The girl shied away. "N-no, he may wake up and hurt you—just run away and get as far away as you can from me…I only bring trouble to everyone."_

 _Shinichi laughed aloud. "That man will be out for quite a while thanks to my mad scientist neighbor! Besides, how can you say no to free medical assistance?" He tore off part of his shirt sleeve with his teeth and tightly wrapped it around the wound. "I can't really do much more since I don't have supplies, but my dad can help once we disarm the bomb. Did you find it yet?" He scanned the room before seeing a pink shopping bag beside the girl. He was about to approach it when the girl stopped him._

 _"Please, just leave, Shinichi! I don't want you getting hurt anymore because of me!" She tried to run away, but Shinichi grabbed her uninjured arm._

 _"No, I can't allow that. How badly do you think I'd be scolded for letting a hurt girl run towards potential danger? You probably know how to defuse a bomb anyway, so we can do it together. We started together in this and will finish in the same way." He forced the shocked girl to sit beside him on the bed with the bomb. "I don't know what's got you so worked up, but I can say that you'd be a bad detective if you let emotions control you like that. In other words, you'd always run away from danger instead of face it head-on."_

 _The girl, touched by Shinichi's words, nodded and wiped away tears. "Okay, let's defuse this bomb and get this situation dealt with for good."_

 _Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "You're sure you'll be okay?"_

 _The girl smiled. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Thanks, Shinichi."_

 _And so they got to work on defusing the bomb. Luckily, they had remembered what to do after reading a particular detective book. They slowly took turns cutting wires until there was only one left. For some reason, Shinichi hesitated._

 _"What's wrong, Shinichi?" The girl nervously looked up from the bomb. "Why aren't you cutting the wire? We're running out of time."_

 _Shinichi smiled. "I feel you should cut the final wire; after all, this situation has involved you much more than me."_

 _"But you saved my life from that bad guy," she pointed out before grabbing Shinichi's hand. "We should cut it together."_

 _Their hands intertwined around the wire cutter, Shinichi and the girl slowly moved it forward, and the final wire fell with a snap. "There, it's done." The two embraced for a moment in relief before Shinichi stood back up. "Well, I propose we go back to the main hall and let everyone know the bad guys have been defeated."_

 _After Shinichi sent a message to his dad, the girl followed him to the first floor, which was crowded with authors and police officers. Thankfully, most were absorbed in their conversations to notice their injured heroes._

 _"Kudou-shi, I found them!" Inspector Megure finally saw the two sitting on a bench alone. He gestured for Yusaku and the girl's mother to follow, and they approached the children._

 _"Shinichi, I'm quite proud of you." Yusaku bent down to ruffle his son's hair but stopped when seeing blood. "You were hurt?" His gaze turned to the girl, who was clutching her arm and seemed rather pale. "Just to be safe, you two are going to the hospital. Wait here for a moment while I bring my car over." He and the girl's mother quickly went outside, and Megure returned to arresting the announcer and all 12 accomplices throughout the building._

 _The girl was about to leave to wait outside when Shinichi stopped her. "Wait, I don't think you ever told me your name. What is it?"_

 _The girl laughed. "I'm Cordelia Tracey, a brand new detective, thanks to you." She shook his hand and sat back down. "I'm really glad I met you, Shinichi. I don't think I would have ever found the courage to use my mental abilities in such a way that you can."_

 _Shinichi nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Um, how about we make a promise? We'll meet again once we're older and highly regarded for our deductive reasoning skills to have a true battle of wits. That way, we'll find out who's truly the better detective."_

 _Cordelia agreed as she and Shinichi were separated from each other. Her final words softly spoken and too quiet for Shinichi to hear were "I love you, Kudou Shinichi. Let's meet again someday, and maybe you'll let me be your wife."_

* * *

 **Author's Note: Awww, Cordelia's story (and she) is sooo cute~! The only complaint I have with this whole thing is actually the last line. I feel like it's a bit straight forward and...blunt. It shouldn't really be that way judging by her personality. If you guys have any suggestions I could use to fix it, I'd be glad to hear them! Other than that, thanks again for all the support thus far-we're almost at 15K views!  
**


	45. Surprise 44: Delirious Rememberances?

**Author's Pre-Note: Agh, I'm uploading twelve hours early! ...I am aware of that. I just wanted you guys to enjoy the next chapter sooner...and I have a lot of things to prepare for tonight. After all, the weekend's coming up, and I have a lot of writing, reading manga, drawing, and watching anime to do (hopefully 475-478 of Conan at least; I've already seen 1-474, 479, the Murderer Kudou Shinichi arc, and 642-643). Oh, and I have to get ready for Shin-chan's birthday next Thursday...which is also our school's pops concert. _Really_ wish we could have sang _Mune ga Dokidoki_ or something like that~**

 **But anyway, enough of me blabbing; here's the next chapter~!**

* * *

Surprise Forty-Four: Delirious Remembrances?

 _What should I do?_ Kaito nervously paced Shinichi's room as the detective tossed and turned in his feverish sleep. _The pill isn't working, he won't wake up, and Haibara-san isn't answering her phone!_

"Cordelia…" Conan mumbled softly, making Kaito stop in his tracks as a thought occurred to him. He quickly went downstairs and snatched the phone. _I really hope I'm right about this and that I shouldn't be worrying so much…_

"What's up, Kuroba-kun?" Takagi tried to sound happy, but Kaito knew something was up, and it wasn't very pleasant.

"Hello, Takagi-keiji, how did you know it was me?" Kaito made sure to put as much cheer in his voice as he possibly could. "I would think Shinichi would be the one calling you the day after a murder."

Takagi gave a small laugh. "No, Kudou-kun would rather walk to the station and get physical answers to his questions." He paused, and his voice became more somber. "I also noticed you carrying Kudou-kun home yesterday, and he didn't look well. Is he okay?"

Kaito sighed deeply. "Well, I'm not exactly sure. He suddenly shrunk back to Conan again when we got home, and he still hasn't woken. He did say a name in his sleep that I don't recognize though…"

Takagi's mouth went dry. He did _not_ want to bring up what he thought Kaito was talking about. "W-who did he mention, Kuroba-kun?"

Kaito frowned, for he could sense the officer's uneasiness. "Cordelia was the name. I was wondering if you knew who…"

"Cordelia Tracey, aged seventeen." Takagi interrupted in an oddly dark tone, confusing Kaito even further. "Her mother Victoria became a famous mystery writer twenty years ago and taught her daughter a few things about being a detective in hope that she'd grow to love it.

"At first, it appeared as if it did. Cordelia read Sherlock Holmes at age 4, and she was quickly fascinated with murder and such. Naturally, she seemed different to her teachers and classmates, but no one could have imagined what was soon to come that day and every one that followed…" He continued with her tragic and unusual childhood, including her encounter with Shinichi.

But it still didn't add up. "Why would he say her name now?" Kaito voiced his thoughts. "And why did he sound sad?"

Takagi didn't respond for a moment. "I-I guess he knew deep in his heart of what happened…you see, the DNA of that young girl we found yesterday was that of Cordelia."

Haibara Ai glared at her phone before turning it off and shaking her head. Five missed calls from Kaito, which most likely meant something serious happened to Shinichi…again.

 _He was supposed to take care of Kudou-kun_ for _me._ She shrugged. _Oh well, I guess it can't really be helped considering the circumstances they're in._ She turned her phone back on and dialed Kaito's number.

"Oh, you f-finally answered, H-Haibara-san." Kaito seemed shaken about something, proving the small scientist's theory to be true.

Ai huffed. "Well, you only called me five times. What happened to Kudou-kun this time? Kidnapped? Injured? Crashed his immune system? Fell out a window? Came across another serial murder with Hattori-kun around?"

Kaito didn't think she was funny. "He suddenly shrunk yesterday after looking over a weird murder, and he hasn't woken yet," he explained quietly. "The weird part of the murder was that the girl's body was seven-years-old, but her DNA matched that of a seventeen-year-old detective."

Ai merely stood there, her mouth in a silent scream as her thoughts began to race. _Why are they using my drug again? Why did they target her? Do they know of the drug's side-effect? Could they be searching for me right now?_ Ridding herself of the worry, she took a moment to recompose herself. "Okay, I'll be over there as soon as I can. In the meantime, try and find something that explains why she was targeted."

Kaito thanked her and hung up before going to the guest room and turning on his laptop. Typing Cordelia's name in the search bar, he searched as much as he could, and…

Absolutely nothing. There were a few articles from already-solved murders but nothing hinting someone's want for revenge. As a disappointed Kaito put the laptop away, there was a soft knock on his door. "Come in!"

Ai opened the door and stepped in the doorway, a rather odd expression on her face. "Kudou-kun appears to have a high fever but is not necessarily sick. I'm presuming that the shock of a fellow detective's death has made him this way."

Kaito gulped nervously. "So what should we do, Haibara-san? The medicine didn't reduce his fever, and he won't wake up."

Ai tilted her head as she thought. "Wait, I suppose. I was able to wake him earlier, but he was quite delirious and wouldn't respond to my questions."

Kaito's expression saddened. _Why can't they just leave you alone, Shin-shin? All of this hurts me as much as it does you._ He wearily sat at Conan's bedside. "I can just stay here then and wait for him to wake up. If we're lucky, maybe he can tell us some things about that case he encountered yesterday."

Ai raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you didn't sleep last night. I assume you were caring for a sleeping person instead of yourself?"

Kaito gave a small smile. "Yes, I was awake all night in case he woke up or his condition worsened. But I'll be fine without a night's sleep; I've done it plenty of times!" He crossed his arms and legs to show his stubbornness.

Ai had the look of "we'll see about that" as she turned around towards the hallway. "Well, I should get to making dinner for the three of us. Let me know if something happens with Kudou-kun." She slowly made her way downstairs to the kitchen and began cooking, humming to herself all the while.

Kaito meanwhile soon found himself struggling to stay awake listening to nothing but Conan's slow, even breathing and seeing nothing but the love of his life—it was hypnotizing. His eyes and body became heavy, and his mind grew fuzzy. The last thing he could remember was lying his head down beside Conan's and placing a hand over his, a warm, optimistic feeling spreading throughout him as all of the worry eased away.

Just over an hour later, Ai finished making a soup and carried a bowl back upstairs, slightly surprised to see Conan just coming to. "Ah, you're awake, Kudou-kun. I didn't think you would until at least tonight."

Conan's unfocused eyes slowly blinked, trying to comprehend what she said. "Oh, Haibara. Did Kaito tell you I shrunk? How long ago was it?" He spoke a bit slower than normal, making Ai wonder how delirious he was.

"Yes, he was quite concerned since you shrank yesterday and haven't woken until now." She paused to set the soup on the nightstand. "Actually, I have a question for you concerning what happened yesterday. Kuroba-kun mentioned a strange case that you stumbled across, and I would like to know more details."

Conan's expression suddenly grew pained, and he grew pale. "N-no, Haibara, t-there wasn't anything weird; I m-managed to help Takagi-keiji with it until I s-shrunk…" His breathing became labored as he broke out in a sweat, which intrigued Ai.

"Oh, so there wasn't anything about a seven-year-old girl you knew _rather well_?" She chose to keep going in hope he would tell her.

But she didn't expect what would happen. Conan curled up under his blanket and clutched his head, his eyes squeezed shut. "I don't wanna…" he whispered faintly, sounding as vulnerable as he looked. "It didn't happen…nothing bad happened yesterday."

Ai gasped a bit as realization hit. _He must be going through the five stages of grief due to that detective's death. But if that's so, how am I supposed to get any information about the apoptoxin? I have to know what they're doing as soon as possible, especially in a case like this…_ She shook her head to get rid of the thought and went to wake Kaito, fully aware Conan had passed out again.

"Hm~?" Kaito slowly rose and rubbed at his eyes with a long yawn. "Ah, Haibara-san, did I fall asleep? I guess I was a bit tired." He trailed off as he eyed Conan. "Oi, what did I miss? He looks really bad—worse than earlier."

Ai let out a deep sigh. "He may not be aware of it, but he's dealing with the five stages of grief. That proves that he is somehow aware of the detective's death, and he for some reason is bothered greatly by it. I understand why he'd be a bit upset since they're both detectives, but there's something that must have happened in the past that we don't know of."

Kaito frowned. "I'm not sure. All Takagi-keiji said was that they met once at a hotel where they had to find and disarm a bomb, but he didn't say much more as to if they kept contact after that. Also, what are the five stages of grief? I feel like I've heard of them before."

Ai rolled her eyes. "They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance respectively. I could tell by how he acted that he's already in the first stage, so it will take a little while for us to get him through it."

Kaito gulped nervously. "But how are we supposed to do that, Haibara-san? I can hardly help him with this murder case that's been threatening our lives!"

Ai merely shrugged. "That's a good question. All we can really do is wait for him to go through his feelings and come to us when he's ready."

 _To Kudou Shinichi,_

 _This is Cordelia, the girl from ten years ago that helped disarm the bomb at that hotel. I guess I just wanted to say hello and bring up a few things to you…_

 _First off, I've noticed you've been growing as a detective—more than me by a long-shot. However, there was one particular event that struck to me as odd: your two-year disappearance. I feel I know you well, and you're not the type to suddenly disappear for that long. I did some digging around and even asked Megure-keibu, and I learned of your visit to Tropical Land with your childhood friend…including two particular visitors that made you on edge._

 _I would also like to bring up more of these two men. They wore solid-black in the middle of summer, which automatically rose suspicion. They were also antsy to leave once the cops arrived, and you noticed that. From this small bit of information, I can deduce that you followed them to see what they were up to. As you guessed, it wasn't good. You were gathering evidence in some way (most likely a recording) before you were caught and put in a dangerous situation._

 _The final thing I'll bring up is the FBI. I am friends with one of the members of that certain group, and they informed me of you crossing paths with them on numerous occasions. But why would you be involved with the FBI? How big of a case would you have gotten yourself involved in? How badly were people hurt physically and mentally?_

 _Which brings me to my conclusion. I have more than enough information to begin my search with my newest case, but it's filled with guilt. That's all I can say._

 _So long for now,_

 _Cordelia Tracey, second-best young detective_

Conan tossed and turned in a fitful slumber as his mind processed the last he heard of Cordelia. He didn't think of the letter as significant, but for some reason it was coming back to his mind.

 _It's almost as if something bad really did happen yesterday,_ he thought, still in complete denial. _But nothing happened, right? But why do I feel this way, and why did Haibara bring up the exact same thing? I remember something about that case yesterday, but…_

A Japanese symbol suddenly made its way into his mind: 黒, or "kuro" in romaji. He suddenly froze as he realized the true meaning of that letter. _There's no way…but how? Why?_ He knew there was no way for the truth to hide any longer, and he could feel himself starting to slip. _So she was murdered too…I was right all along. That poor young girl was actually her, and she was fed the same poison as me before being pushed off the gazebo roof._ A soft, mournful moan escaped his throat, surprising the person still in the room.

"Shin-shin, you're still awake. What's wrong?" Kaito gently placed a hand on Conan's shoulder and began caressing it. It was obvious he was worried about the shrunken detective.

"S'okay, Kaito, I just can't get to sleep," Conan partially lied. "I'll be fine on my own."

But Kaito knew better than to leave his boyfriend alone and worrying. He forced Conan to sit up and hugged him. "Shin-shin, I'm really sorry this happened. I learned about Cordelia and what happened to her from Takagi-keiji; I never thought they would do something as terrible as this to someone who's innocent…"

"It's my fault," Conan interrupted quietly, tears sliding down his cheeks. "It's my fault that Cordelia had that happen to her. I didn't tell her what happened, and that made her worry and get into too much trouble for her frail self to handle."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, so I wasn't sure how exactly to do this without having someone flat-out say, "Yeah, he's going through the five stages of grief." After all, I'm not one of the creators of Majora's Mask! XD Anyways, I must thank all of you readers once again for the continued support and loving my story~  
**

 **(Also, just because I'm bored right now, I want to bring up all my fangirling at school. I'm a project with a couple other girls in geography class, and we picked Italy for our country. There's SPAGHETTI there (Pappy!), as well as Stradivarius violins... And then there's English class. We're reading Romeo and Juliet, and I keep finding really interesting words/phrases that make me think of Conan/Shinichi for whatever reason...**

 _ **Chapters Left:**_ _**6...only 6, including the epilogue!** _


	46. Surprise 45: Guilt Trip?

Surprise Forty-Five: Guilt Trip?

The next day came and went, and Conan showed no sign of improvement. No one went in or out of his room, and the only things proving he was even there were the occasional mutterings and throwing of a pillow. Both Kaito and Ai were concerned, but they knew he needed to spend some time alone and mourn over his loss.

 _But at least we heard from him,_ Kaito thought sadly. It was now the third day of Conan's grievance, and Kaito was becoming anxious. He hadn't heard a thing from the detective's room, and he wasn't even sure if he'd find Conan or Shinichi upon opening the door. Gathering his courage, he reached for the doorknob and turned.

It opened. Kaito peered inside and wasn't sure how to respond with what he saw. A dozing Shinichi was curled up tightly in his bed, shivering with dried tear streaks on his face and his eyes red and puffy from crying. _He must have been like that all night!_ Shaking his head with a sigh, he bent down beside Shinichi and shook him. "Good morning, Shin-shin~" He tried to sound cheerful in hope that Shinichi would be okay.

"Go away, Kaito," Shinichi mumbled, turning away from the shocked magician. "You don't understand what I'm going through."

Kaito felt his emotions overwhelm him. "I don't know, huh? You're saying I don't know what it's like to lose someone important to me? It's not like _they_ killed my dad and brother for no reason. Nope, my life's just _peachy_."

Shinichi could sense the anger and frustration in Kaito's voice and nervously sat up to face him, averting his gaze. "I-I'm sorry, Kaito, I just…forgot, okay? I've had a lot on my mind lately."

Kaito rose an eyebrow but decided it was best to not ask. Instead, he sat beside Shinichi and hugged him. "Believe me, I understand what you're going through. I get that you want to be alone, but that's not what you need! You left your door unlocked for that exact reason, right? Because you need me."

Shinichi slowly nodded. "Yes, I do think I need your support. I was afraid to admit it, but…I feel like I'm being sucked up in this huge, dark abyss. I need you to guide me out, Kaito; it's tearing me apart."

Kaito ruffled his hair with a smile. "Of course I'll help you, but you're almost there already. I suggest some food, sleep, and a trip with me this afternoon to make you all better!"

Shinichi tensed at the mention of a trip. "W-where will we be going, Kaito?"

Kaito hesitated. He had forgotten that their whole situation started with him taking Shinichi on a trip. "Well, I'm not telling you now! But don't worry; it will be _fun_!" He bounced up and extended a hand. "Shall we go eat, my lovely boyfriend?"

Shinichi blushed but took the hand anyway. "I suppose since you won't leave me alone otherwise." They went downstairs to the kitchen, where Ai was dishing three bowls of soup and looking at the boys with an expression mixed with amusement and boredom.

"I see the magician's little assistant is here. I presume he persuaded you to do something with him again?" Rolling her eyes with a chuckle, she handed the boys each a bowl.

Shinichi didn't get the joke or why Kaito suddenly flushed so much. "He's making me go somewhere this afternoon, yes, but that's because he wants me to recover from…" He hesitated for a moment. "From Cordelia's death."

Pausing from eating his soup, Kaito found himself surprised. _Wow, he admitted to himself that Cordelia died? He's getting better already!_ Quickly finishing his meal, he kissed Shinichi happily. "I'm glad you're getting better, Shin-shin! You can come upstairs when you're done eating; I'll be doing some preparations and such for later."

Shinichi watched Kaito head upstairs with a trace of a smile across his lips. "It's almost funny how different we are, Kaito and me. I bring constant death and fear to those around me, but he's using everything he can to make people happy. I guess that's the difference between a detective and magician, isn't it?" He pushed away his half-eaten soup and stood up. "Thanks for the meal, Haibara; I'm going to try and get some sleep before we leave." He too went upstairs, unable to hear Ai's quiet laughter.

 _It's cute watching those two together. I'm glad I chose for Kuroba-kun to be the one to care for Kudou-kun; I would never be able to pull off such a difficult task._

"What are you doing, Kaito?" Shinichi saw Kaito turned away from him with something in his hand. "Let me guess, you're seeing how much money you have in your wallet?"

Kaito quickly put the item away and faced Shinichi, a grin on his face. "Yup! I was making sure we could do everything I had planned, and we can do quite a bit today after you've slept some!" After closing the bedroom door, he helped Shinichi into bed. "I'm staying here to make sure nothing happens to you and to make you sleep easier, by the way."

Shinichi felt tension he didn't he know he had leave his body, and an immense sense of relief filled its place. "Thanks, Kaito…"

Snickering, Kaito pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling through them. "I love you, Shin-shin. Make sure to sleep well, okay? I'll wake you when we need to get ready."

Shinichi mumbled a response as the quiet background noise lulled him to a doze, for deep in his heart he could sense that things would start to get better with the help of his boyfriend.

X

Kaito was pleased at how deeply Shinichi slept that afternoon—he almost didn't want to wake him for their trip. But he knew what they were to do, and it was absolutely necessary in his master scheme to help Shinichi accept Cordelia's death and solve this serial murder hanging over their heads. Slipping on a light jacket, he bent down to lightly kiss Shinichi's forehead. "Shin-shin, time to have fun~"

Shinichi's azure eyes slowly opened, a new sparkle of hope and happiness in them. "Hello, Kaito, how long did you let me sleep?" He slowly sat up and swung his legs toward the side of the bed.

Kaito ruffled his hair with a smirk. "Oh, only a few hours. I would have let you sleep longer since you were sleeping so well, but we're going to do quite a lot on our trip!" Humming thoughtfully to himself, he grabbed Shinichi's hands and kissed him, expecting to be pushed away somehow…

But he wasn't. Shinichi flinched at first in surprise but allowed Kaito to kiss him until the magician finally stopped. "You didn't stop me this time," Kaito spoke the thought aloud, a bit breathless. "Do you like them now?"

Shinichi's face went bright-red, and he turned away shyly. "I-I guess I do kinda like them…they make me feel special to be your boyfriend."

Kaito grinned. "You've always been special to me, Shin-shin! That's why I'm taking you out today on a secret trip!" He suddenly jumped up. "So are you ready to go?"

Shinichi shrugged. "I need to get different clothes on and let Haibara know we're leaving; it shouldn't take more than a couple minutes." Slightly timid, he left the room after grabbing his bag and a set of clothes, leaving the phantom thief alone in his room.

"Ah, I should make sure _that_ is still available!" He got out his phone and dialed a number. "Hello, I'll be visiting this afternoon with my boyfriend. Do you still…?"

The person listened very intently to Kaito's question and thought for a moment. "Yes, we do. In fact, I believe there is a discount going on if you do something. Let me look." They turned around toward a large corkboard and told Kaito the requirement for the discount.

"Thank you very much! We'll be stopping by later today!" He hung up and was about to go downstairs when an idea came to him. "Hey, we could do that too! He'd love it so much!" He placed a reservation at a different place before finally meeting Shinichi in the doorway.

 _Aw, he looks so cute!_ The detective had chosen to wear casual clothing for the first time since they met, sporting a navy-blue hoodie and grey sweats. Chuckling softly, Kaito wrapped an arm around Shinichi's waist. "You ready?"

Shinichi nodded, and the two climbed into Kaito's car. "So where are we going, Kaito? Are you going to tell me yet or even give a hint?" Shinichi rolled his eyes as they pulled out of the large garage. "Knowing you, you'll keep it a secret until we get there…"

Kaito laughed. "I was considering a hint, but they'd all be too obvious for you! I'm just going to keep my mouth shut in this case and see if you can figure it out!"

However, the rest of the car ride was in complete silence. Shinichi had immersed himself in his thoughts, and Kaito doubted they were guesses of where they'd be going. Eventually, they pulled into their destination, and Kaito turned to Shinichi. "Well, we're here!"

Shinichi jumped away from his thoughts and raised an eyebrow at what he saw. "A shopping mall?" he asked. "But why this?"

Kaito ruffled his hair. "Because it'll be fun! Besides, there's a new bookstore that was just opened, and you'll probably find a few you want."

After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Shinichi shook his head with a huff. "Wow, you never cease to surprise me, Kaito; I don't know how you do it. To be honest, I wish I could do this for you too."

"Oh, Shin-shin!" Kaito practically fell on Shinichi in a dramatic hug. "You're so sweet! I'm really glad you feel this way, but today's the day I help _you_ feel better!"

"Kaito, get off—you'll break my ribcage!" Shinichi managed to get his way out of the embrace and the car, leaving Kaito still inside with his bottom lip stuck out in a pout.

"Ah, fine." He too exited the car, and they walked into the mostly vacant mall. "Wow, there's almost no one here today, which means we'll get all the fun!" He reached for Shinichi's hand to hold it but for some reason was denied. "What's up, Shin-shin? You don't want to hold my hand?"

Shinichi bit his lip, a light pink tinting his cheeks. "I don't know, Kaito. Should I let the world know I'm dating?"

Kaito stared at Shinichi, his eyes widened in surprise. "But Shin-shin, why are you so nervous about it? It wasn't that long ago when you admitted to liking my kisses."

Shinichi nervously averted his gaze. "I know, but that's when we're alone. In public, it feels like everyone's watching, and it makes me feel a bit awkward."

Kaito patted him on the back. "Shin-shin, there's no need to be nervous! Besides, there's hardly anyone here as it is, and a majority of our time here will be in a dark room where no one will notice us."

Shinichi hesitated. "I-I suppose you're right." He accepted the magician's hand, and they strolled around the mall for a while, stopping occasionally to look inside shops. Finally after purchasing three new detective books and a fountain pen, they stopped in front of the small movie theatre.

"What movie do you want to see, Shin-shin? We have time to see one before our next part of the date…oops." Kaito placed a hand over his mouth as he watched the detective freeze and whirl around.

"You're calling this a… _date_?" Shinichi remained still for a minute before relaxing with a sigh. "I should have figured with all the romantic talk you've been doing with me. I guess it's also true that we haven't done anything like this yet since we started dating, and you're probably the most romantic person I've ever met."

Kaito gasped a bit. "You're fine with it?"

Shinichi gave a small smile and turned back around to see the movie options. "Of course I am, Kaito. Haven't I admitted more than once today that I love you?" His eyes scanned the large posters before stopping on a particular one. "Whoa, they made a movie about Moriarty? I didn't hear about that."

Kaito draped an arm around Shinichi's shoulder. "That's probably because you've been so _stressed_ , Shin-shin—everything's been piling so much on you lately that you couldn't take time to enjoy anything! That's another reason why I chose for us to do this today."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Shinichi's voice seemed to darken, alarming Kaito.

"Oi, did I say something I shouldn't have? I'm sorry!"

Shinichi slowly shook his head. "No, you didn't, Kaito. I've just been trying to deal with everything involving Cordelia's death lately, and it can easily come to my mind right now."

Kaito's expression saddened. "But I chose for us to do this so you could put that aside for a while and enjoy yourself. I just _had_ to mess up like that." He apologized again and went ahead to the ticket booth so he could escape further conversation.

In the meantime, Shinichi let his thoughts slip away from his date and into Cordelia's death. _So now I know how she died, but who killed her and why? Am I right in assuming that she made the same mistake I did but suffered bigger consequences? Why did Megure-keibu and the others never tell me?_ Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. _I should stop or else Kaito's going to start worrying._

"Okay, let's go watch the movie!" Kaito waved the tickets happily. "I was told we're going to be the only ones in the whole theatre too!" So they entered the theatre and found the showing room for the Moriarty movie, stopping briefly to get popcorn and drinks.

 _Maybe this movie can give me a hint with this case,_ Shinichi silently hoped, but he knew better—nothing had been going right for him in terms of the case, and both the story and Kaito snuggled up to him would be large distractions. _But I guess distractions are good to have sometimes too. I didn't want to admit it to Kaito, but I'm actually a bit weak still from that super-strong immune crash that came a few days ago._

"Make sure to relax, okay, Shinichi?" Kaito whispered as the lights began to dim. "I know you have a habit of worrying when you think no one's paying attention to you."

Shinichi leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "Alright, I'll try to."

But he was able to enjoy himself during the two-and-a-half hour movie and completely immersed himself in the intricate story of Moriarty, seeing through every little detail as Kaito stared in shock.

"Well, that was fairly decent." Shinichi stood up and stretched as Kaito still struggled to grasp the final plot twist. "Also, what was the other thing you had in mind for us to do? I remember you mentioning that."

Kaito suddenly bounced out of his seat, a grin spreading on his face. "That's right, we're not done yet! Oh, you'll absolutely _love_ this!" He snapped his fingers, and they were suddenly outside of a tall building in Ekoda.

Shinichi covered his face with his hands as he figured out the trick. "You probably did that last time too, didn't you? And why are we even here?"

Kaito snickered. "I was waiting for you to figure it out!" He paused. "And this place we're going to is mainly used for businesses to hold meetings. Since the owner is a family friend, we'll be getting the most popular room and an exquisite meal that slightly surpasses yours truly."

Rolling his eyes, Shinichi followed Kaito inside. "And how much is slightly?" He watched as Kaito waved to the lady in the lobby and pressed the elevator button, wondering how big this company was. "How many businesses use these rooms, Kaito? Do they use this whole building?"

Kaito nodded. "Most of the businesses in the area as far away as Tokyo use these rooms, so they had to purchase the entire building to accommodate everyone." The two entered the elevator, the magician hitting the button for the top floor. "And when I said this room was the most popular, I didn't mean for businesses~"

The remainder of the ride was silent save for Kaito's excited laughter and bouncing. Eventually, the door opened, and…

 _This is a conference room?_ That was the first thought that came to Shinichi's mind as he eyed the room in surprise. It was quite spacious and seemed even more so with three walls being covered with windows and a single table with two chairs. There was also a table in the far corner piled with desserts, but that wasn't what surprised the detective most. Indeed, there was something far more surprising in a rather unexpected place: on the ceiling.

"So how do you like it?" Kaito gestured to the room proudly.

It took a moment for Shinichi to speak. "How—how is this even a conference room? I doubt business would use a room like _this_."

Kaito clucked his tongue. "You didn't listen close enough to my hint, _Tantei-kun_ ; I said this room wasn't used by businesses!"

It slowly dawned on Shinichi what the hint meant. "Kaito, you…" He turned to face the magician, tears in his eyes but a smile on his face. "Thank you. Thank you for everything. You just keep making this day better and better."

Merely laughing, Kaito kissed Shinichi on the cheek. "Well, I'm glad to see you so happy! Let us dine under the moonlight and forget of our troubles."

And so they did. They ate their gourmet meal (and dessert in Kaito's case) and chatted light-heartedly until Shinichi found himself weary.

"You look tired," Kaito noted as he finished his second dessert. "Are you ready to go home and get some sleep?"

Rubbing a hand over his eyes with a yawn, Shinichi agreed. "I wouldn't normally get tired this early since I'm always solving cases, but your date with me seemed to keep them all far away."

Kaito grinned. "Then I guess we should do this more often!" He snatched his boyfriend's hand and stood up. "Do you mind if we get there normally? There's a few interesting places to see, and we might walk by my house."

Shinichi hummed. "How close is your house from here? I'm really tired all of a sudden."

Kaito's eyes brightened as a thought occurred to him. "Hey, how about we stay at my place tonight? It's only a few blocks away, and you could properly meet Hakuba tomorrow!"

Shinichi couldn't begin to fathom what could possibly happen there, especially with how tired he was. He said yes and was led down a few dark streets before coming across a rather lively apartment complex.

 _So this is where Kaito learned all his magic._ He laughed to himself and entered one of the more expensive apartments, ambling behind the overly excited thief as he gave a tour around.

"It's great that Kaa-san's not here; she'd be throwing a fit over how much I've been gone…" He stopped in front of the last door on the left, skipping the one beside it. "And here's my room, where we'll be sleeping tonight!"

For Shinichi, it didn't even seem like Kaito's room—there was absolutely nothing besides a single poster of his dad showing his interest in magic. But now was not the time for him to ask questions; he just wanted to lie down and sleep. So he plopped on the side of the bed with a sigh. "I really enjoy seeing such enthusiasm, Kaito, but I'm really tired. Can we go to bed?"

Kaito snapped his fingers, and they were both suddenly in pajamas and lying next to each other in the queen-sized bed. "Sleep well," he whispered while turning off the light. "Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Shinichi closed his eyes, a feeling of happiness spreading through his body, and fell into peaceful slumber, unaware of what really happened that day while he was away on a date…

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, so I was in a real hurry trying to get this uploaded today. I apologize for being a bit late; I'm technically not supposed to be on my computer today. Ah well, I really wanted you guys to get this chapter still; it's adorable~! (Also, quick question to you readers that know a lot more than me: Do Kaito and Chikage live in an apartment or house? I know they live next to the Nakamoris, but that doesn't really answer the question since it could go either way.)  
**

 **Again, thanks for all the support thus far; we're almost to the end already... *quiet sobs***

 **CHAPTERS LEFT: 5 including epilogue**


	47. Surprise 46: Ulterior Objective?

Surprise Forty-Six: Ulterior Objective?

"Kaito, what are you doing back home?" a voice exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you…wait, Kudou-kun's here too?"

Kaito slowly rose and yawned. "Oh, it's Ahoko. What are you doing here, and how did you even get in?"

Aoko put her hands on her hips. "Your mom gave me a spare key before she left so I could keep an eye on this place. My question is what are you and Kudou-kun doing back here."

"We were on a date," Shinichi mumbled, barely awake. "I got tired, so Kaito took me here."

Kaito snickered. "Shin-shin, go back to sleep~" He adjusted Shinichi's blanket and jumped out of bed, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his head. "What time is it, Aoko? I need to call Hakuba today."

Aoko frowned. "It's six-thirty," she replied, "so I doubt Saguru-san would be very awake yet. But Kaito, is it just me, or did you not sleep much last night?"

Kaito quickly put on a poker face before anything could be seen. "Since when have I needed much sleep?" However, he knew last night was different; something had been bothering him all night, and he was unsure of what it was.

Aoko sighed, for she knew something was troubling her friend. "Alright, I'll be back here tomorrow to clean. Stay safe, okay?" She left the room and was about to open the front door when the phone rang. _Who would be calling Kaito this early?_ She wondered as she hid outside of his room. _And how did they know he'd be here?_

"Good morning, Takagi-keiji," Kaito greeted lightly, "what made you call so early? Is Shinichi needed again for solving a case?"

Takagi hesitated. "Not exactly, Kuroba-san. You see, something happened yesterday evening that you may want to know about."

The color drained from Kaito's face. "What do you mean? Does it have anything to do with _that_ case?"

Takagi agreed. "Yes, there was a bit of a fire…" He explained what happened, unaware that Kaito was on the verge of fainting.

"H-how bad?" Kaito whispered faintly as the world began to spin. "How bad are the injuries?"

Takagi wasn't really sure. "I think I heard Sato-san mentioning that one was in critical condition, but I haven't seen the actual reports." He paused. "If you want, you can come with me tonight to the hospital for interrogations. And please don't Kudou-kun about this yet until we get more information on it."

"Okay, thank you." Kaito heard the click as Takagi hung up before collapsing into darkness, the only thought on his mind being a concerned one of whether Shinichi would be targeted while everyone was vulnerable.

"Kaito!" Aoko rushed in and gasped. She had only heard Kaito's end of the conversation, so the only thing she knew was that whoever this Takagi guy was told him some really bad news. "Kaito, wake up! Tell me what happened!"

She did wake someone, but it wasn't Kaito. "Nakamori-san, you're still here?" Shinichi partially sat up, unable to see his boyfriend passed out on the floor. "Is something wrong?"

Aoko bit her lip. She wanted to tell Shinichi what she knew so he could deal with the situation but at the same time didn't since he looked so tired. _Besides,_ she told herself, _Kaito would hate it if Kudou-kun started panicking about him!_ Shaking her head with a smile, she stood up. "Nope, I just tripped a little, that's all. You should get some sleep though; you look tired."

Shinichi lied back down and turned on his side. "That's true. Can you make sure Kaito does too? I feel like he didn't sleep again last night."

Aoko laughed. "Sure, I think Kaito needs to learn a lesson about taking time to rest." After Shinichi returned to a deep sleep, she sat back down beside Kaito and shook him. "Kaito, get up!"

Thankfully, he did. "Aoko?" he clutched his head and swayed as he faintly spoke. "What are you still doing here? I thought you left."

Aoko shook her head. "Of course I didn't. Something's been bothering you to where you haven't slept, and your phone rang as I was about to go home. I could only hear what you were saying, but judging by the fact that you fainted, I can guess it wasn't good news."

Kaito turned even paler and began to tremble slightly. "Y-you don't need to know about it, Aoko; just go home."

But Aoko wouldn't let in. Surprising the magician, she tightly wrapped him in an embrace. "Kaito, I know you better than almost anyone. I can tell when you're sad or upset, even if you try to hide it. Since I know I won't get an answer, just let me know when you've dealt with it, and then we can hang out again."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Aoko…"

Before anything else could be said, the inspector's daughter left with a small wave and reminder for Kaito to get some sleep.

 _I know she's right that I shouldn't worry, but how can I help it?_ Kaito lied down beside Shinichi as his thoughts began to race. _Everything was just fine yesterday; Shinichi didn't even have any cases! But why did the culprit attack them? They're completely innocent! It's not like…_ He suddenly stopped as a comforting warmth overcame him. Looking down, he saw that Shinichi had clung onto him, making him wonder if Shinichi could sense his frustration.

 _Alright, Shinichi, I guess I'll lie down with you for a little while. I will always be by your side to protect you from the cruel, heartless person that wants your life. If I have to die to save you, so be it._

X

Shinichi awoke early that afternoon and wasn't surprised in the slightest to see Kaito still awake next to him. What did surprise him, however, was the fact that Kaito wore a very concerned expression as he stared at the ceiling with distant eyes. "Kaito, did you sleep?"

Kaito tensed before realizing it was Shinichi. "Oh, it's just you; you scared me!" He smiled to Shinichi, making the detective even more curious about what happened. "I didn't get any sleep since I have to keep an eye on you, and I'm not even tired anyway!"

Shinichi sat up to look Kaito straight in the eye. "What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the quick flash of pain that crossed Kaito's face before he covered it.

"Nothing's wrong, Shin-shin!" he insisted before trying to change the subject. "Hey, how about we go do something today? We still have plenty of time."

"Tell me," Shinichi ordered suddenly, making Kaito blanch despite his best efforts not to. "If it has something to do with the guy that wants to kill me, I have to know about it."

Taking a deep breath, Kaito denied. "I'm sorry, Shin-shin, but I can't tell you. This is just something you can't know about."

Shinichi pursed his lips. "I figured as much, and since I know you won't be able to sleep…" There were a couple quick movements, and Kaito crumpled into Shinichi's arms.

 _Thank goodness I brought the tranquilizer watch with me._ He put the gadget back in his pocket before lying Kaito down in the bed, choosing to stay next to him in hope he'd sleep for a while.

However, the dart wore off after only half-an-hour with Kaito jolting awake, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Shin-shin!" He lunged for Shinichi and held on as tight as he could, trembling as the urge to cry seemed to overwhelm him.

Shinichi stroked Kaito's hair gently. "Hey, it was only a dream, Kaito; you don't need to be so shaken up about it. How about we get ready to go somewhere? I remember you mentioning Hakuba last night."

Kaito wiped away the tears. "I guess you're right. Let me call Hakuba really quick." Leaning back into Shinichi's chest, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number.

"Kuroba, do I want to know what you're planning this time?" Hakuba let out a deep sigh. "Because it took a week to get rid of that red hair dye."

Kaito gave a nervous laugh. "Sorry about that, I just couldn't help myself. But I was wondering if you were busy or not today."

Hakuba was even more confused than when he first saw Kaito's caller ID show up. "Why do you want to know that? You _must_ be planning something."

Kaito quickly denied. "No, I was just wondering if you wanted to properly meet Shinichi today since we're going to be in Ekoda! I didn't have anything like a prank planned, but I always could~"

Hakuba thought about it. "Well, I guess I can just for that detective; I heard he's been trying to solve a pretty difficult case for a while. As for you, try to act your age for once." He gave a meeting place and time before hanging up.

"Hey, Kaito," Shinichi changed the subject with a frown, "isn't Hakuba that British detective that came over a while ago to help you search for evidence concerning my attack? How do you know him?"

Kaito grinned. "Let's just say he was a classmate of mine in high school that liked getting involved with other people's business without thinking of the consequences." Ignoring the immense feeling of lethargy that went through his body, he jumped up and gestured to the poster of his dad. "Hey, do you wanna see something before we leave?"

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "I guess, but what is it…?" His eyes widened as he watched the poster turn on its side, revealing a secret pathway. Noticing the other side of the poster was rather white, he realized what it was. "Ah, so this is Kaitou Kid's secret lair—no wonder you don't have anything involving magic in your room."

Kaito shrugged. "You could call it that, but it's more of a place where all the gadgets and disguises are. I go somewhere else to devise my plans." Leading Shinichi inside, the thief began to show him all the gadgets, including many he had never used in heists. For some reason unknown to Shinichi, Kaito averted his gaze when coming across a jukebox, as well as completely avoiding a small desk sitting in a corner.

 _I guess his dad was the first Kid then,_ Shinichi deduced, _which makes me surprised that he would even come in here since there are so many reminders of him and his murder. That reminds me…_ "Kaito, I have a question," he piped up after a moment. "Why did you not show me the whole house last night?"

Kaito froze. He was not expecting that question in the slightest. "Um, what do you mean, Shin-shin?" He forced himself to speak in a cheery tone. "I did show you the whole house! Maybe you were just too tired to remember all of it."

"I was pretty tired, but I remember that…" He cut himself off as a conversation with Aoko came to him. _Shoot, that was Kenichi's room, wasn't it? Now I have him remembering his brother's murder too. I'm a bad boyfriend after all, aren't I?_ He fled the room before Kaito could interject, locking himself in the bathroom and sliding to the floor with a quiet sob.

"Shin-shin!" Kaito wasn't completely sure why the detective had left but had a pretty good idea. He ambled his way to the bathroom door, pausing when hearing the crying. "Shin-shin, I know what you were thinking."

The crying stopped. "No, you don't," Shinichi sniffed, "so just go away. Everything will get worse if you stay."

Kaito carefully sat down in front of the door and bowed his head. "As I thought. You're thinking that wanting to see my 'lair' and bringing up Kenichi made me feel worse than I already seemed. But that's not true, Shin-shin! I mean sure, it's sad that they were both murdered, but they don't always involve sad memories. In fact, it makes me laugh thinking that my father was in fact Kaitou Kid and that he used such fun gadgets."

Silence. Then, a click could be heard as the door slowly opened. "Sorry, Kaito," Shinichi mumbled. "I've just felt like I haven't been very good towards you for a while, and…"

Kaito interrupted Shinichi by kissing him. "There, now stop feeling like you're not good enough, okay? Because you're perfect just the way you are."

Shinichi gave a sad smile. "Thanks, Kaito, but I will try my best to pay you back for everything you've done for me. Speaking of which, when do we have to meet Hakuba?"

Kaito checked his watch. "We still have a couple hours, so we can do something here in the meantime." Suddenly, Shinichi was pushing him back in the bedroom. "Oi! What are you doing, Shin-shin?"

"You need sleep." He forced Kaito to lie down and sat on the edge of the bed. "So I am going to stay here and make sure you do just that."

Kaito protested. "Shin-shin, someone needs to protect you; you're not safe!"

Shinichi rolled his eyes. " _Ba'arou_ , I haven't been safe for at least two months, and I've been fine. Besides, how would anyone know I'm in Ekoda instead of Beika unless it's you or maybe Haibara?" He pulled the blanket over Kaito. "And there's no way you can protect me without taking care of yourself too."

Kaito could feel fatigue begin to pull him under, so he chose to say one thing to Shinichi: "Thank you for loving me so much." He fell into a deep, peaceful slumber and remained that way until Shinichi woke him two hours later. He didn't want to since he knew Kaito needed the sleep, but he also knew that Kaito wanted him to meet this Hakuba person.

"Hello, Shin-shin, is it time to go yet?" Kaito rose with a yawn.

Shinichi could tell instantly that Kaito felt better. "Yeah, it's been two hours. Where exactly are we going to meet Hakuba? Knowing you, it's probably a café with lots of chocolate items on the menu."

Kaito snickered. "You know me so well! But Hakuba actually chose the meeting place—it's the museum's history section." After giving Shinichi a light kiss, he bounced up with a grin. "Let's get going!" They left the Kuroba home and walked around Ekoda, stopping occasionally at places that held sentimental value to Kaito. Eventually, they found themselves in front of a museum that for some reason was under reconstruction.

"What happened here?" Shinichi wondered aloud. "It looks like it was blown up by a paint bomb!"

Kaito ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Well, of course it does! What surprises me is that they're still fixing what Kaitou Kid did at that heist a while ago."

"Yes, the rumor was that the thief made some sort of mistake that caused everything in the surrounding three hundred feet to be multi-colored." Hakuba appeared behind them, a frown on his face. "Isn't that right, Kuroba?"

Kaito laughed. "You say that like _I'm_ Kid or something! You still believe that I am after all these years?"

Hakuba glared at Kaito, contemplating whether he should reply, before noticing Shinichi. "Ah, so you're Kudou Shinichi. I heard from my dad that you've been dealing with a difficult case for a while; you were even attacked on multiple occasions."

Shinichi agreed. "There was the time I was stabbed, and I was kidnapped not that long ago. That heartless criminal has even attacked some of the people around me, including Nakamori-san for some reason."

Hakuba paled. "Wait, Nakamori-chan was attacked too? How do you even know her? I don't remember her ever mentioning you."

"She's a classmate of mine here at the college," Shinichi replied, "but I don't know her very well. That's why I feel that attack on her was strange since the others attacked were my mom, my detective friend Hattori Heiji, and…"

"And even Kaitou Kid was attacked at his last heist!" Kaito cut in, stepping in front of Shinichi. "I even heard that Nakamori-keibu found out who Kid was and closed the case!"

Hakuba's eyes flashed. "Is that so?" He made a mental note to call the inspector later, but now was not the time. Merely smirking to himself, he gestured to the museum entrance. "Shall we head inside?"

They did just that, spending the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening together. Shinichi grew to have an appreciation for the fellow Sherlock fan, and they spent most of the time talking about their favorite mystery novels when Kaito wasn't bragging about having a boyfriend.

"Ah, I see it's time for me to leave." Hakuba checked his pocket watch before extending a hand to Shinichi. "It was rather nice meeting you, Kudou-san. Let's hope we can meet again someday."

Shinichi shook the hand and watched Hakuba go, silently wondering why he had gone two full days without a single incident and ignoring the fact that Hakuba's outfit had changed to bright-green and pink plaid.

"Hey, Shin-shin, we should be going too; I got a text from your parents that they just got home and are waiting for us." Kaito interrupted Shinichi's thoughts.

Shinichi jumped a bit. "Oh, um, sure." He was about to walk outside when Kaito snatched his hand. "What's up, Kaito?"

"Something's bothering you again," he stated, "I can tell. Is it because you haven't had a case for the past two days? Because that's mere coincidence."

Shinichi shrugged. "I guess that's part of it," he mumbled quietly. "To be honest, I haven't been able to go anywhere in years without stumbling across at least one dead body, kidnapping, or theft. It's always odd to me when things like that don't happen."

"You feel like something else happened, don't you? You think there's an incident nearby since nothing's happened yet." Kaito tightly hugged the surprised Shinichi. "But nothing's happened, Shin-shin; you shouldn't be worrying. Let's go home and get some sleep, alright? And tomorrow, we can get back to solving the case."

Shinichi silently nodded, and Kaito used a magic trick to get them back to the Kudou mansion, where Yusaku was standing on the porch.

"Ah, you're back. I'll presume your date went well?" He greeted them and opened the front door. "I had to make your mother go to bed early or else she would have broken something, most likely being you two. She was perhaps the most excited person I've ever seen."

Shinichi blushed. "Y-yeah, it did go well. There weren't any cases though…"

"He's worried something happened while he was gone," Kaito interrupted, frowning at his boyfriend, "and he's just not getting that it's okay to go a few days without a dead body showing up!"

Yusaku laughed. "But I can see where he's coming from. After all, he's been somewhat of a death magnet since he was quite young." He paused to look down at his son. "Shinichi, is something else bothering you? You still look troubled."

Even though he knew his dad and Kaito could see through a lie, Shinichi shook his head. "No, I'm okay, just a bit tired. I think I'll go to bed early." He trudged up the stairs to avoid further questioning, unable to see Kaito's relieved expression.

"So have you heard anything yet, Yusaku-kun?" Kaito plopped on the couch beside the writer with a sigh. "Because when I asked, I was only given basic information."

Yusaku shook his head. "I asked Megure-keibu about it a couple hours ago, but they don't know much—they don't even know if it was intentional or not. Aren't a few of the officers going tonight to interrogate?"

Kaito hummed. "They are, and Takagi-keiji is taking me as well."

Yusaku adjusted his glasses with a smirk. "So that's why you called for us to stay here. You want us to protect Shinichi while you're gone. I'm fine with doing that for you, but please be careful."

Kaito thanked him and started to leave when he noticed Shinichi looking down from the banister, his face chalk-white. "Oh, Shin-shin, you're still up? I thought you went to bed."

"What happened, Kaito?" he asked shakily. "Why didn't you tell me something happened when I could sense it?"

Kaito opened the door and stopped only to say, "There was a fire…"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hooray, more suspense! What happened in that case, and who was the victim? Find out soon~ (and thanks for all the support!)  
**

 **Also, don't forget that yesterday was Shin-chan's birthday! I drew him for the sixth time in commemoration of this, and it was amazing!**

 **...oh, it was Izaya's birthday too, huh? Oops. I can do something for him next year.**


	48. Surprise 47: Adding Fuel to Fire?

Surprise Forty-Seven: Adding Fuel to Fire?

Kaito heard Shinichi fall to the floor in a faint, but he knew he couldn't wait any longer to get answers. He closed the door and walked the few blocks to the police station, where Takagi and Sato were waiting in a red Mazda.

"Ah, Kuroba-kun, you're here." Takagi looked happy to see him. "Did you manage to keep Kudou-kun away from all this?"

Kaito nodded. "I made sure his parents would stay home while I'm away, but…" He bit his lip nervously. "He does kind of know that there was a fire since I had to tell him. Thankfully, he doesn't know who was involved."

Sato understood. "That couldn't really be helped judging by the fact that Kudou-kun is always curious, especially when someone's hiding something from him." She gestured for Kaito to enter, and they slightly sped their way to the hospital in Shibuya.

"Hello and welcome!" A woman at the front desk greeted. "The visiting hours have just ended, but I can see about letting you for a little…" She stopped when seeing the police badges. "Ah, I see. So who will you be visiting?"

The officers said the two names and were led to a normal hospital room. "The first one is here, but the second is in very critical condition. I apologize, but you must wait until the other recovers to see them." With a deep bow, the nurse left for the interrogation to begin.

"So how are you feeling?" Sato asked with a warm smile. "You look like you're recovering quite well."

The victim agreed. "I'm starting to feel better, but I'm still worried about the other victim in this incident. I asked this morning, but visitors aren't allowed in the ICU."

Sato motioned for Takagi to take notes as she sat down at the victim's bedside. "Since I already know your name, age, and such, we can get started with the questioning. Can you give me an account of what happened last night?"

The victim closed their eyes. "Alright, I'll try my best, but the whole thing's a bit foggy in my mind. I remember we had been in the living room eating dinner and watching the news when I smelled something odd. I followed the scent to the basement, and someone grabbed me from behind while stuffing some cloth over my face.

"The next part is even stranger. I slightly recall someone screaming and shaking me, but all I knew was that I was in pain and wanted to sleep. There was an odd mix of oranges and yellows behind the person, which made me ask the other person why those colors were there.

"'There is a fire in the house,' I had been told, 'and it was set off by a bad person.'

"I partially snapped out of my daze and found myself panicking. 'What should we do? Where do we go?' Those were a few of the thoughts that ran through my head. But my top priority was getting both of us out of the house and alerting authorities. I urged for the other victim to get out of the house, but they said that they needed to get something.

"I think I passed out at that point because the next thing I remember is an ambulance showing up and a few nice people talking to me on the way here."

Takagi quickly scribbled down what was said. " _Ano_ , do you by chance remember anything about the person that knocked you out? Maybe what they looked like?

The victim shook their head. "Sorry, but I didn't see him."

Sato raised an eyebrow. "How do you know if it's a man if you didn't see anything?"

"His voice." The victim shivered at the memory. "It was so deep and menacing and _evil_. He just laughed as he waited for me to pass out."

Sato hummed. "So do you have any idea as to why you two were targeted?"

The victim muttered a response, surprising no one. They completely understood where the theory came from.

"Um, if you don't mind…" The victim lied back down carefully. "I would like to get some sleep. Unless you have any more questions for me?"

Sato denied. "That's fine; we'll make sure to contact you if we come across anything." They left the hospital, making sure to get notified if the other victim awoke, and began the drive home.

 _I feel awful,_ Kaito stared out the window sadly. _I feel so bad for Agasa-hakase…_

X

Shinichi didn't pace unless he was extremely concerned. Kaito knew this and immediately asked what was wrong when entering the home.

Shinichi shook his head. "I'm just…a bit frustrated. Tou-san finally told me about what happened to Haibara and Agasa-hakase, and he coincidentally had to leave not that long ago to attend an author's convention and help set up the murder mystery game for the guests. As for Kaa-san, she will be leaving tomorrow for a photo shoot."

Kaito frowned. "But who's going to help take care of you? I don't know if I can do it on my own, especially since I know you're going to try and leave the house tonight."

Shinichi winced. "Ah, so you could tell. Well, I guess it's a good thing I asked Ran to come over for a few days; she's on break and wants to help us with the case since she has a lead of some kind."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Wait, she has a lead? Does that mean she may know who the culprit is? Did something happen to her?"

Shinichi merely shrugged as he began pacing again. "I've been wondering that too, but I can't be sure until she arrives…" His voice trailed off as he froze. "Kaito, what time is it?"

Kaito checked his phone and told him the time. "Why do you wanna know, Shin-shin?"

Shinichi muttered a curse and grabbed the home phone. " _Kuso_ , I was right. Kaito, wait here while I go check around the area." He slipped on a jacket and began to leave, but Kaito grabbed his arm.

"What's going on, Shin-shin? Why are you so worried?"

Shinichi closed his eyes and relaxed his muscles. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you don't know what I'm thinking. Ran called me over an hour ago—isn't there something odd with that?"

Kaito paled. "You don't think…" He took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay, I'm going with you then." They ran out of the house and spent over two hours looking and asking around, but there was not a single trace of Ran being there. Wearily returning home, Kaito suggested they wait until morning.

Shinichi gaped at him. "Are you crazy? Ran could have been kidnapped or worse on her way here, and you suggest doing nothing about it?"

Kaito sighed. "I'm sorry, Shin-shin, but there's nothing we can do right now. I can call Takagi-keiji and let him know what happened, and we can stay here and wait. I know you want to keep looking for her, but you're already worn out and vulnerable as it is, and something would easily happen to you."

Shinichi thought about it. _I really need to find her, but Kaito does have a point. Everyone close to me isn't around except Kaito, and I know he would willingly sacrifice himself for me. I should really try to trust in the police anyway; they have far more sources than a civilian like me…_ "Alright, I guess you're right," he mumbled tiredly, "so I'll try to get some sleep. But first thing tomorrow morning, we're going to the station and helping all we can."

Kaito thanked him for complying, and the two went to bed after notifying the police of the situation. However, neither slept well and were overwhelmed with nightmares of all the possibilities concerning what may have happened to Ran. They chose to give up trying at five A.M. when both were sitting in the kitchen with cups of coffee.

"What do you think happened?" Shinichi asked out of nowhere, surprising Kaito.

"Shin-shin, I—I can't be sure yet. We don't even know if she's in a dangerous situation or not! Let's finish having breakfast and see if the police found anything last night."

Twenty-three minutes later, they were out of the house. Thirty-one and they were at the station asking for Inspector Megure.

"Ah, you're up early, Kudou-kun and Kuroba-kun. I presume you're here about Ran-kun's whereabouts?" He beckoned them to his office, which was surprisingly tidy considering his profession. The only thing out of place besides a half-eaten donut and stained mug of coffee was a manila folder with a few papers inside.

"Have you found anything yet, _keibu-san_?" Kaito asked, slightly nervous. "We haven't heard a thing about it yet."

Megure was about to reply when Sato barged in the room. "Pardon the intrusion, _keibu_ , but I have good news concerning the other fire victim."

Shinichi perked up. "Is Haibara awake? Can we go see her?"

Sato smiled. "Yes, she awoke just a couple hours ago. If you'd like, I can drive the two of you to the hospital once you're done here."

Shinichi heavily thanked her, and she left with a bow to inform Takagi. The detective turned his attention back to Megure. "So what have you found out about Ran?"

Megure opened the folder. "Yes, well, we did find something helpful that told us where she was, but…" He hesitated, which was not a good sign.

"But what, _keibu-san_? Isn't it good that we found her?" Kaito inquired, oblivious to what was being hinted at.

Megure shook his head. "I can't really say it's good, Kuroba-kun. Someone did find her… they found her on a sidewalk unconscious and bleeding from her head. That wasn't the strangest part of this case though…" He slid a picture across the desk for Shinichi and Kaito to view. It was a note hastily written in black, which said:

 _You were quite lucky to have met me. I did not expect to find you so soon._

The world began to spin for Shinichi, and he felt something steady him. "Don't worry," a voice whispered, "we can solve this soon."

Shinichi felt a sense of relief that made him weary. "Thank you, Megure-keibu, but I need to see how Haibara's doing. Let me know if you find out anything else or if Ran wakes up."

Rubbing his temples, Megure watched as Kaito half-carried the detective away. "Honestly, that kid gets himself into too much trouble for his own good."

"Are you alright, Kudou-kun?" Sato immediately noticed Shinichi's pale, shaky figure. "You look like you're about to pass out. What happened?"

"He's just a bit surprised about what happened to Ran-san," Kaito cut in, for he could tell his boyfriend wasn't going to answer. "But we're still going to see Haibara-san and see how she's doing."

Sato nodded. "Okay. Takagi-kun, let's go!" She hollered to Takagi, who had been talking on the phone. He quickly rushed over with a quick apology, and they sped down the highway to Shibuya once again.

" _Ano_ …" Takagi spoke up once he parked the patrol car. "Do you mind if I stay here? I need to make a phone call."

Sato shrugged. "That's fine; we shouldn't take too long anyway." She grabbed her things while Kaito and Shinichi exited the vehicle, the latter frowning and putting a hand to his chin.

"Shin-shin, did you think of something for the case?" Kaito drew closer to Shinichi, completely aware Sato was watching. "Or are you thinking of something _else_ ~"

Not catching what Kaito meant, Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. "Something's off, but I'm not exactly sure what."

Kaito grinned. "Does this help?" He grabbed Shinichi's hands and kissed him.

Shinichi took a moment before shoving Kaito away, feeling slightly relaxed. "Okay, I know you're all about showing public affection with me, but it didn't give me the…" He gasped and pulled out his phone, typing rapidly with the touch-screen keypad.

"Oi, so I did help!" Kaito waited for Shinichi to finish before ruffling his hair. "See? Kissing you in public _did_ help!"

Shinichi blushed and turned away. "Maybe it did, but we still have other things to do. While I go in and start interrogating Haibara, you go apologize to Sato-keiji for surprising her like that." He walked away to avoid further conversation, leaving a pouting magician and bewildered cop.

"So I guess no one told you yet, did they?" Kaito approached Sato with a smile. "I figured someone like Takagi-keiji said something already about us dating, but your face says otherwise. Are you really that surprised?"

After regaining her train of thought, Sato agreed. "No one has mentioned you two dating at headquarters, and I didn't imagine Kudou-kun being the type to start dating in a situation like this."

Kaito sighed. "Yeah, I've heard that a few times already, but they don't understand the whole story. You probably were informed I am Kaitou Kid, so we can skip that. I had been shot in the lung and was close to dying when Shinichi finally admitted that he cared for me. I asked him if he wanted to start dating, and he said yes."

Sato closed her eyes with a smirk. "Thinking more about it, that does sound a lot like Kudou-kun." She thanked Kaito for telling her, and the two entered the hospital, where Shinichi stood in the lobby deep in thought.

"Shin-shin, did you see Haibara-san?"

Shinichi slowly looked up, his eyes glazed over. "I did. I asked her if she could tell me what happened that night concerning the fire, but she refused to answer anything concerning the culprit."

"Maybe she didn't see him?" Kaito half-asked, hoping it wasn't what he thought.

Shinichi denied. "I'm afraid not, Kaito. I know her well enough to know that she would just tell me if she didn't see him, but instead she's completely avoiding him in every aspect. I hate to say it, but Haibara Ai is hiding something about this serial murder case."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, so I was about three hours late uploading this chapter... I have a fair excuse or two. Well, I was at my younger sister's spring concert at school and doing a lot of dishes afterward, I still feel bad for not uploading sooner. Some of you may have to wait as long as a whole day before reading this interesting chapter because of it! Even with that said, I have to say here and now that I think the rest of the chapters will have one-week waits once again. For starters, I have a lot of finals to cram this week and next week, and I have enough time before June to finish the story by doing it this way.**

 **Also, in case I haven't stated clearly enough, I am going to be away for two months (all of June and July) and as a result cannot upload any chapters of my stories on here. While I can still read other people's stories and reviews...and respond to the reviews...you get the point... I don't have _computer_ access at the place I'll be at. Even if I could upload on my phone, I wouldn't just because it just wouldn't seem right and would take a _lot_ of time to type it on a touchscreen keypad. Thus the "no uploading for two months" thing. **

**Yes, I will be uploading Preventing the Truth starting on August 1st or 2nd (depending on when I get back), and that story might wind up doing something similar towards the end where I upload twice a week during the beginning of 2018. However, I'm not sure how many chapters are in it (so far, I've only written the first 30), so things could easily change from now.**

 **Since this note is getting really long, I should end it here. Thanks for all the support thus far~**

 **CHAPTERS LEFT (including epilogue): 3 after this one... *sad face***


	49. Surprise 48: Tip of the Scale?

Surprise Forty-Eight: Tip of the Scale?

The next few days were uneventful for many but quite busy for Shinichi. He spent the entire time investigating all of the murders involved with the case and ignored all of his surroundings, including Kaito. The magician was slightly upset that his boyfriend was avoiding him but knew it was necessary to finish the case.

Kaito also noticed how often Shinichi would glance at his phone. _Maybe he's being informed by the police again?_ He wasn't exactly sure, but he didn't want to ask. Instead, he stayed silently by Shinichi's side in hope he'd find what he needed to catch the culprit.

However, it was two weeks before anything productive came to them, and it came in the form of a phone call. Kaito chose to hide outside the room to eavesdrop. _Hopefully, we can find out what we need._

"Takagi-keiji, did you find out anything?" Shinichi's voice cracked due to dehydration and lack of sleep.

Takagi sighed. "I did, but it sounds like you've been working more than I have! You should know it's not good for your health."

Shinichi chuckled. "Believe me, I know. If there wasn't as much pressure on me, I wouldn't be so antsy to finish this."

Takagi understood completely. "Anyway, there was an anonymous tip given to us that may aid you. They told us that they think someone's in danger or possibly dead inside the Shirakami-Sanchi forest. If I remember right, it's the part closest to Akita where _that_ happened.

Shinichi froze. "What do you mean? Did something happen to the caller?"

Takagi denied. "Not exactly, it was just odd. They said they saw a man looking like Gin fleeing the forest in broad daylight."

Shinichi frowned. "That _is_ odd. Gin has never been the person to do something with the possibility of witnesses that can call authorities, and he never did anything during the day unless it was long-distance. It's just not like him…" He repeated the last phrase to himself as a conversation with Vermouth returned to him. _I guess she was right. I wonder…_

"Kudou-kun?" Takagi interrupted Shinichi's thoughts. "Since I know you're going to look into this, would you like someone such as Sato-san or myself to go with you? I'll admit I'm worried Gin might hurt you or Kuroba-kun."

Shinichi smiled. "Don't worry, Takagi-keiji; we'll be fine. Let me know if anything comes up." He hung up and shut his laptop, stretching as he stood after seldom doing so for two weeks. "Kaito, we're going to Akita." It wasn't a question, for he knew Kaito wouldn't say no.

"Shin-shin~!" Kaito ran in the room and practically fell on him in a hug. "I'm so glad you're finally out of your slump! You've hardly eaten or slept or even spoken to me!"

Shinichi gave a tired laugh. "Sorry, Kaito, I guess I got really busy. After today, it should get better, and we can spend more time together. How does that sound?"

Kaito's eyes welled up with tears. "Oh, Shin-shin, you're so sweet!" He happily sobbed and tightened the embrace. After a moment of this, Kaito pulled away with a sigh. "Since I already packed a few minutes ago, we should get our train tickets!"

Shinichi agreed, and the two left for the station. "Ah, here they are!" Kaito pressed the option for Akita, and two tickets came out of the machine. "Let's go then…" He stopped when seeing Shinichi wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was gazing in the distance with a sad expression.

Indeed, what his mind was focusing on wasn't a train ride or even the case itself, but rather an old memory that had been locked away for over ten years. Not far away from the station was a certain hotel that struck a chord with the detective that would have been happy if not for what happened a few days ago. He began to shiver as a different memory soon dripped into place.

 _C'mon, Shinichi, let's play a game together!_ Cordelia's childlike voice rang in Shinichi's mind. _How about hide-and-seek? If you find me, you'll have a fun reward~_

Shinichi's tremor increased, alarming Kaito. "Shin-shin, what's wrong?"

Closing his eyes, Shinichi clutched at his head and shook it. _No…no…_

Cordelia appeared in his mind, and she looked sad. _Aw, why not, Shinichi? Don't you wanna play with me? I thought we made a promise…_

A small sob escaped Shinichi's throat, urging Kaito to do something. He placed a blanket over the detective and half-carried him onto their train, which was surprisingly and thankfully sparse of people.

Shinichi could feel himself moving but still remained in a trance-like state as Cordelia began to maniacally laugh. _I guess you're no fun anymore; maybe you'll like this instead…_ She raised some sort of black object to her head with a grin. It was a pistol, and she was going to fire it to kill herself.

 _No, don't do it!_ Shinichi tried to persuade her, but it was no use. The moment the trigger was pulled, the scene was replaced with a veil of blackness as Shinichi fainted.

"Shin-shin!" Kaito frantically shook Shinichi until his darkened eyes slowly opened. "Shin-shin, what happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled softly, "I guess I'm a bit short on sleep. Wake me when we have to switch lines." He began to slip into sleep, but Kaito wasn't done asking questions.

"Hang on, Shin-shin. Can you at least eat something first? And maybe tell me what happened earlier?"

Shinichi rubbed his temples. "I guess I can eat a bit, but I want to wait before saying anything about _that_ …" He took a small bento from Kaito and forced himself to eat all of it before leaning back in his seat, yawning greatly. "Wow, I'm tired. Let's hope I can actually get some sleep."

Kaito made Shinichi cuddle up next to him. "Sleep then. You're still too pale and shaky for my liking, so maybe that will help." He waited for his boyfriend to fall asleep before texting Yusaku of the situation. _What should I do, and why do you think it happened?_

It was close to an hour before a reply came. _Which train station were you at?_

 _Beika, but why do you ask?_

 _Ah, I see now. Was he looking outside a window to the south?_

Kaito gasped aloud. _How did you know that?_

 _There is a certain hotel close to the station in which Shinichi could have seen, triggering what happened. Also, how much has he been sleeping in the past two weeks? That could also have something to do with it._

 _He's hardly slept since he's been investigating this case so much._

Yusaku put a smiley-face by his message. _Don't worry then; just let him sleep on the train and make sure he doesn't overwork himself on your trip. I must be going and attend to my over-panicky wife._

Kaito thanked him and began stroking the sleeping Shinichi's hair. "Don't worry, Shin-shin…I'll protect you no matter what."

X

After almost seven hours on the train, they arrived at the Akita station. Shinichi was still sound asleep, which relieved Kaito. "Good, that means we can take a break tonight!" He carried Shinichi to a hotel and laid him in a bed, frowning when seeing how sweaty his boyfriend appeared. Figuring it was a fever, he rummaged through his bag and procured a pill. "Hopefully, this can help." Kaito stayed awake all night keeping a close eye on Shinichi until the fever finally broke, allowing both to sleep peacefully until one awoke from a nightmare a couple hours later.

 _Kuso, what happened? My head's pounding, and I'm sweating like crazy. Maybe I crashed again?_ Shinichi slowly rose holding his head and paused when noticing a few odd things. Kaito was passed out beside him with the blanket still folded underneath his sleeping form, and there was a pill bottle, cloth, and mug of still-warm coffee on the nightstand.

A sharp pain silenced Shinichi's thoughts as he gasped. _Something happened yesterday… but I still can't remember what it was. All I know is that it had Kaito seriously worried._ He stopped himself as an idea came to him. Grabbing the magician's phone, he noticed the previous conversation with Yusaku. He began reading the first message, but another throb in his head made him drop the phone as his vision blurred and he began to hyperventilate.

"Shin-shin~?" Kaito mumbled, still half-asleep. "Are you awake yet?"

Shinichi tried to remain silent in hope Kaito would return to sleep, but the pain was just too much. He wasn't aware of it at the time, but a small whimper came from his mouth.

That sound quickly alerted Kaito. Shinichi had never been the type to show his pain unless it was big, and now was no different. He jumped up, and his eyes widened. He snatched another pill from the nightstand and made Shinichi take it.

Thankfully, it ended a minute later with Shinichi still gasping for breath and Kaito hugging him. "Sorry, Kaito," the detective breathlessly said, "it just came so suddenly."

Kaito laughed. "It's not your fault, Shin-shin; you couldn't help it coming!" He let go of Shinichi and closely eyed him. "Are you okay now, or do you want to stay here a bit longer to rest before we get going?"

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. Apparently, he was confused about their situation. "Where exactly are we going, Kaito? I can't seem to remember anything from yesterday."

Kaito hummed. "Really? So you don't remember Takagi-keiji calling us yesterday about a lead for the case?" This was quite unusual, and Kaito wanted to know why this was happening.

Shinichi wearily shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't. Is that why we're in a hotel?"

Kaito tilted his head a bit. "Yes, it is. Before I tell you about the lead though, I have one more question. Do you remember being at the station and seeing something? For instance, a hotel you went to as a kid?"

Shinichi thought about it. _I don't remember anything from yesterday, but…it feels like I should._ He felt something wet slide down his cheeks. They were tears. _Am I crying? Why is that? What am I forgetting about yesterday that was so important?_ "I-I don't know," he found himself stuttering for some reason. "I just can't remember a thing."

Kaito smiled gently. "That's okay; you don't have to remember yet. How about we just forget this for now and check out that lead?"

Shinichi agreed and stood up. "That's fine, but can you tell me more about the lead? Was there another victim, or perhaps a sighting of the fake Gin?"

Kaito wasn't sure what "fake Gin" meant, but now was not the time to ask. He explained the conversation that took place the previous day and watched as Shinichi's face grew paler and paler. "Shin-shin, you don't look well," he noted once he was finished, "are you sure you will be alright checking into this, or do you want to wait a bit longer?"

Shinichi put a hand to his head and began to sway. "N-no, I'll be okay; I'm just a bit surprised. But why did Takagi-keiji tell us about this all of a sudden and not have someone come with us?"

Kaito forced Shinichi to sit back down and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I don't know, Shin-shin. I guess he's just confident in your ability to smell out a culprit's tracks and my ability to keep a close eye on you." He paused. "You seriously look like you're going to faint again like yesterday. Are you _sure_ you'll be okay to do this?"

Making a mental note of another mention to the previous day, Shinichi rolled his eyes. " _Ba'arou_ , I've been in much worse situations than this and been perfectly fine! Even if I feel a bit fatigued, I know it's an hour-long train ride to the forest if I need it."

Kaito reluctantly nodded, and the two returned to the Akita station to head into the forest. Relieving Kaito's anxieties slightly, Shinichi did doze off fairly quickly on the way there, but what made Kaito more nervous was the fact that Shinichi was mumbling incoherent things in his sleep. _This case is seriously bothering him and his mental health, and that makes me want to take him away from this and hide him from it. However, I know how Shinichi acts, and there's no doubt this forest is hiding something crucial to Shinichi's investigation. I have to toughen through this and hope that his sense of justice will prevail._

"Mmm, Kaito, did I fall asleep~?" Shinichi removed himself from Kaito's side with a yawn. "I didn't think I was _that_ tired."

Kaito ruffled his hair. "Of course you're tired—you've hardly slept in two weeks! Let's just hurry up with this investigation so you can get on a train and sleep for a while." They exited the station alone and began walking into the forest.

Immediately upon entering, they could sense something odd. It was around noon when they entered, yet the trees were so thick and close together that they made the sky almost pitch-black, requiring flashlights to see five feet in front of them. There was also something that created a foreboding feeling within them, but they couldn't place what it was.

"Okay, let's start searching." Shinichi turned on his watch's flashlight and beckoned for Kaito to follow. They searched until all signs of sunlight disappeared, and Shinichi finally stopped.

"Kaito, I think we have to split up." There was a hint of fear in Shinichi's voice as he turned to face the phantom thief. "We're not covering enough ground if it's already sundown, and I don't want to spend another day here."

Kaito sighed. "I figured you'd say that. Just…be careful, okay? We don't know what's out here." He gave Shinichi a long kiss before turning towards the south and slowly walking away.

Shinichi's lips quirked to a smile. "There, now I can get some _real_ work done." He began running to the north in hope it was the right direction to search. But after a few more hours and even searching slightly to the west, he found nothing—no sign of a struggle or anyone recently being in that area. He was considering calling Kaito when a sudden sound rang out in the forest: a scream.

 _It was only a couple hundred meters away, so I can see who it was!_ He dashed towards the scream's source, but all he could see was a cliff-side overlooking another section of the forest. He called out for someone to answer, but there was no reply. Thinking it was just an animal, he was about to leave when his legs suddenly went out from under him. "Wha…?"

Someone was pushing him towards the cliff, but they wouldn't get away with it! Since he had hit his head on a rock and was quite dizzy, he kicked his leg as hard as he could at the thing pushing him off. It retreated, leaving Shinichi lying dazed on the forest floor and hearing an evil laugh ring in his head.

 _I have to find Kaito._ That was the thought that continuously went through Shinichi's mind as he struggled to stand. The world was quickly spinning as his legs threatened to give way, but he had to keep going. He took slow steps forward for what seemed like hours before he could hear someone calling his name. "Kaito?" he whispered faintly, allowing his relief to flow through him as he collapsed onto his knees. Kaito was just fine; maybe a bit close to that cliff-side, but unharmed by the culprit.

"Shin-shin, why did you come back?" Kaito carefully approached him and gasped when seeing blood. "Oi, what happened? Did you have an encounter with the culprit?" He began rummaging through his bag for his first-aid kit and helped Shinichi lean back against a tree.

"Not sure," Shinichi mumbled as he tried to stay conscious, "but someone tried to throw me off the cliff."

Kaito began wrapping a bandage around Shinichi's head and huffed. "This guy sure is persistent on trying to kill you, Shin-shin. Once I'm done treating you, I propose you rest here while I search some more around the area. If the guy that did that is in fact our culprit, he's probably still here."

Five minutes later, Shinichi was passed out, and Kaito was trying not to tremble as he continued his search. _C'mon, I shouldn't be so scared; Shin-shin was just hurt by him! If I use the right tricks and catch him off guard, I can make Shin-shin's life a lot less stressful._ Nodding to himself and tightening his grip on the flashlight, he continued walking as silently as he could (which was quite difficult for humans to hear, he would boast).

"Hey, Kuroba Kaito." A voice suddenly spoke in Kaito's ear. "You're the annoying pest that's in the way of my plans, aren't you? Why don't you just let me kill my target?"

Kaito whirled around, but no one was there. "I'll never let you kill him!" he shouted. "You have no right to kill anyone, especially Shinichi!"

"Oh~? Is that so?" A rustling sound came from in front of Kaito, making the magician back away. "Yeah, you'll never hurt him again!"

"We'll see about that. Farewell, Kuroba Kaito…no, gentleman thief Kaitou Kid."

Kaito felt himself be shoved, and then the ground disappeared from under him. _I'm falling off a cliff._ The realization came to Kaito, but he wasn't scared. _I knew this would happen someday; I would die protecting Shinichi from this madman that wants his life…and I'm okay with it._ He closed his eyes and waited for the impact to crush his body…

But he suddenly stopped falling. His eyes popped open, and he could see the bright moon above him illuminating a face. "Shin-shin? B-but how did you know? How are you flying?"

Shinichi smiled. "Your yelling woke me, and I knew something was wrong. Luckily, I had brought my para-glider in case something like this happened." He gestured upward at the invention.

All adrenaline gone, Kaito laughed as tears began to form. "Of course it's the day I don't bring my hang glider with me. That culprit sure knows how to use crazy coincidences to his advantage."

"That he does." Shinichi's breathing had become labored, which wasn't a good sign.

"Shin-shin, you're in no shape to be steering this. Is there a way we can change spots?" Kaito was getting quite worried, for he could feel how hot Shinichi was getting.

Shinichi shook his head. "Sorry, but you're more injured than I am. Besides, we're almost landed at the entrance."

Kaito eyed himself in confusion before seeing there was a large gash on his arm that was bleeding profusely. _Wait, I don't remember getting that!_ "But Shin-shin, it doesn't hurt that much…" He tried to move it, but the gasp of pain contradicted his statement.

Shinichi's vision was starting to blur, but he knew they had to land just right since they were both injured and in need of medical attention. If he messed up the landing, their lives could be in jeopardy. He concentrated as hard as he could and somehow managed to safely land at the forest's entrance.

"Shin-shin, I'll call the ambulance for you," Kaito whispered, jumping out of Shinichi's arms. "You can…" He suddenly froze. "K-Koichi, is that you?"

A figure stood silently under the entrance sign. "It is. How could you tell without seeing me?" He stepped forward into their flashlight beams, still wearing his sunglasses and large hooded coat to conceal himself.

Hiding his injured arm behind his back, Kaito gave a nervous laugh. "I guess I could sense your presence. But what are you doing here?"

Koichi gestured to the forest behind him. "I was looking for the two of you. Sato-san mentioned that you two would be here and may need help in case something was to happen, so I told her I'd go in her place." He frowned when seeing how pale the two of them looked. "Speaking of which, did something happen?"

Kaito leaned into Shinichi's ear and told him something, making the detective's eyes widen. Taking a deep breath, he nodded and stepped forward. "Yes, it appears the culprit we've been after for a while was here with us and decided to say hello."

Koichi raised an eyebrow. "That's odd; I thought Sato-san said you were looking for…" He shook his head. "I shouldn't be wondering about that. I'll call an ambulance for the two of you and let Sato-san know of what happened." He began to take out his phone when Shinichi stopped him.

"No, you don't need to call for me; I'll be fine. I still have something to finish here anyway." Shinichi pulled out his own phone and called someone.

"You finally called." The person chuckled. "I was waiting for this conversation to come."

"So do you have the answer to my question?" Shinichi kept it as cryptic as he could.

The person knew exactly what Shinichi meant. "Your answer is yes…good luck, _Meitantei-san_." Shinichi returned the phone to his pocket, and the three men stood in silence until the ambulance arrived for Kaito.

"Be careful, Shin-shin," Kaito grasped Shinichi's hand as he laid on the stretcher. "He may still be out there waiting for you to be vulnerable."

Shinichi grinned. "We'll see about that." He watched the stretcher roll away and turned to see Koichi starting to leave. "Don't leave yet, Koichi…or should I say…"

* * *

 **Author's Note: By far the longest and arguably the best chapter in this whole story! I was very content with it, and I hope all you readers are the same! I apologize if I forgot to mention last week, but these last few chapters will be uploaded on Tuesdays at about this time simply because there are enough to where I can upload once a week and be done just in time for my departure to my father's. This story was very fun to write, but I don't know how you readers will react to the last two chapters. You see, the culprit will be revealed by then, and it's kind of a HUGE surprise/plot twist that may or may not contain plot holes. Of course, I could just say, "Well, isn't life full of surprises?" and be done, but I would really appreciate it if you all did two things:**

 **1\. DON'T SPOIL THE ENDING IN REVIEWS! I don't want other readers to be spoiled of who the culprit is in the end!**

 **2\. Check around and see if you find a few plot holes. I found a few in my many searches throughout this story (that I fixed, of course), but I'm not perfect. I probably have a few things I could fix, and I would appreciate your help.**

 **Of course, you don't have to listen, but I would really like it if you all at least listened to the first. I hate it when I look at other people's reviews and get spoiled about upcoming events. There should be a rule somewhere saying no spoilers included in reviews. *shrugs* Ah well. Thanks for all the support you've given me; the story's almost over already...**

 **CHAPTERS LEFT (including epilogue): 2**


	50. Surprise 49: Final Analysis?

**DO _NOT_ SPOIL THE ENDING IN REVIEWS! There will be people that might be spoiled if you do such a thing, and it ruins the overall experience! If you wouldn't want that happening to you, don't do it! Thanks!**

* * *

Surprise Forty-Nine: Final Analysis?

"Serial killer Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko."

Koichi flinched despite his best effort not to, showing that Shinichi was right. "How did you know?" he growled angrily as his hand went to his pocket. What he pulled out was a sharp, bloody knife. "You just guessed!"

Shinichi laughed. "I think not. I actually wasn't sure who you were until just a moment ago with what Kaito told me. You want to know what he said? 'Koichi sounds just like _him_.'"

Pausing as he was taking off his disguise, Koichi's eyes narrowed. "Who did you call after that then? You were asking them some kind of question, weren't you?"

Shinichi leaned back against a tree. "I called someone you know rather well—someone that has known your secret all this time and even kept it from me: Haibara Ai." Seeing Koichi tense again, he kept going. "I knew for a while that she was hiding something, but I could never get an answer from her. However, my mind began to go back to when she first started hiding things from me, and the answer was two years ago."

Growing impatient, Koichi brandished his knife. "You still haven't said how you knew I was Mitsuhiko or how I suddenly grew three feet."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "I guess being a bad detective wasn't a façade. I've been talking about Haibara because I know you were also a victim of the APTX4869. The only thing different between the two of us is that you were given the poison six years ago.

"Indeed, you were twelve or thirteen at the time and growing in popularity for solving cases around the area. I'm still not sure why, but for some reason the Black Organization targeted you and your family. Your parents and older sister were mysteriously murdered one at a time, but you were kept in hope you'd comply with them and join their rankings. You denied, and they gave you the experimental poison. You shrunk to an infant and were left completely vulnerable. Thankfully, that was when Tsubaraya-san found you and took you in, unaware of what you really hid from the world."

Trembling, Koichi stabbed his knife in a nearby tree. "Those stupid men in black…they only killed my family because they were witnesses to one of their assassinations. That stupid Gin kept trying to make me join their ranks since I'd die otherwise, but I didn't care. I had no hope my life would ever become normal, so I figured I should just end it.

"Then Tsubaraya-san showed up and taught me how to live a peaceful childhood. I almost pitied killing her that night…but I knew it was the right thing to do. Haibara-san gave me one of the many antidotes she made and…" He shook his head and punched the tree. "I _so_ wish I could have killed her."

Shinichi frowned. "Does Haibara have anything to do with your motive of trying to kill me and the ones close to me? Because I couldn't figure that out in the slightest."

Koichi pulled the knife out of the tree and stared at it while he spoke. "Of course it does; you were always _her_ favorite. No matter what miracle I tried to perform, it was always _you_ she talked about with that little laugh of hers. I have always loved her and wanted her to be mine, so I chose to kill anyone in my way."

Shinichi clucked his tongue. "Again, you're an awful detective. Perhaps the first thing you learn is that killing isn't the way to go no matter how bad things get. Besides, you don't know the whole story."

"Of course I do!" Koichi screamed and ran forward, his knife inches away from Shinichi's face. "I know that I love her, but she loves you! I have put everything I had into impressing her, but she still thinks you're better! Who cares if you solve some lousy case? That's only because you've actually gone through high school and had people that didn't neglect you!"

Shinichi snorted. "Yeah right, don't you know who my parents are? They were almost always gone on trips around the world while I was stuck at school. I only know the things I know _because_ I was left alone. You don't even know what Haibara actually thought anyway."

"I actually listened to her," Koichi said through clenched teeth. "I knew when something made her happy or sad, but you were too busy worrying about yourself or that Mouri Ran…" Feeling satisfied when seeing Shinichi blanch, he lowered his knife. "You've never loved her; you've never even _cared_ about her."

Shinichi huffed. "Wow, you're really ignorant, aren't you? You were so busy living a fantasy that you never saw what was really going on."

Koichi was still in denial. "Of course I saw it all! I know exactly how Haibara-san acts and thinks!"

Shinichi closed his eyes with a smirk. "Then answer me this: how many antidotes to the APTX4869 were made?"

Puzzled, Koichi tilted his head. "What kind of a question is that? She made a ton of them—at least a dozen. After all, she didn't know if they would eventually wear off."

"Wrong answer" was what came out of Shinichi's mouth. "She only made two: one for me, and one for you. _That_ is why she didn't get her original body back. Sure, there were still some Organization members like Gin around, but that wasn't enough of a reason for me. That right there shows how you still have a long way to go as a detective."

Koichi stood still as his knife fell to the ground. "T-that's not true…yeah, you're lying. There's just no way that she…"

"Yes, I do care for you quite a bit," a different voice interjected. It was Ai, whose voice came out of Shinichi's phone. "I was kind of hoping that you'd realize the truth of this case before you started hurting me or Agasa-hakase. Speaking of that, why did you attack us?"

Koichi mumbled something that the others couldn't understand before collapsing on the ground. "It was all just a waste of time then? I spent all this time making plans for nothing?"

Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course it was a waste of time! After all, you shouldn't expect to be able to target a detective's life and expect to get away with it." He thanked Ai for helping and hung up, instead calling someone else.

" _Ano_ , is that you, Kudou-kun? What are you calling so late for?" It was Sato, the person Koichi least wanted to hear.

"Yes, it's me. I need you to come to the Shirakami-Sanchi forest immediately."

Sato sighed. "How did I know you'd solve the case tonight? It's a good thing I started driving there with Takagi-kun a few hours ago."

Shinichi figured that would happen, so he merely asked, "How much longer until you two get here? The culprit may come to his senses soon."

"No," Koichi moaned, his voice cracking, "I'm done trying to hurt and kill people. I've realized now that it's not the way to live life; I should logically think out solutions to my problems."

Sato hummed thoughtfully. "We're only a half-hour out, but I think I know that voice that just spoke. Kudou-kun, who did you say was the culprit?"

"Just wait," Shinichi grinned, "and you'll see the truth for yourself. Also, if you don't mind, can you get me a ride to the hospital? There was a bit of a squabble, and Kaito…" He began having a coughing fit and started to slide to the ground. "Kaito was injured and had to be sent away."

"Kudou-kun, were you hurt too?" Sato asked in a concerned tone. "I don't think that coughing was a good sign."

Shinichi tried to stand up but found he didn't have the strength. "I was just knocked around a bit—nothing too serious."

Sato knew he was lying by his shaky breathing. "Kudou-kun, just wait a little longer, okay? We'll be there soon." She hung up, unaware that Shinichi had finally blacked out, and picked up the speed of her red Mazda, arriving in twenty minutes at the forest's entrance.

"Here's a flashlight, Sato-san." Takagi handed her the flashlight, nervously anticipating what he would see. Sure enough, Shinichi was lying on the ground with a bleeding head injury, and someone was sitting a few feet away mumbling to himself.

"Stand up and put your hands behind your back!" Sato exclaimed. "You're under arrest for multiple counts of first-degree murder!"

The person shrugged and stood up, revealing his identity to the shocked officer. "K-Koichi-san, you're the murderer?!"

Koichi gave a sad smile as he was handcuffed. "Yeah, I guess I am a murderer, aren't I? All I really wanted was to win the perfect woman's love…"

X

Shinichi came to in a quiet, sterile room with a dull ache in his head. There appeared to be a blurry figure beside his bed watching him as well, which became Takagi after Shinichi focused hard enough. "Takagi-keiji?" he mumbled as he slowly sat up clutching his head. "Where am I, and where's Kaito?"

Takagi sat himself in a chair beside the bed with a sigh. "You're in the hospital, Kudou-kun. Sato-san and I went to the forest like you said and found you unconscious and bleeding from your head. I chose to take you here while Sato-san interviewed Koichi about the murders. As for Kaito, he's resting in the next room."

Shinichi nodded and started to stand up, but Takagi wouldn't allow it.

"Don't you know how late it is, Kudou-kun? I suggest you wait until at least morning to speak with him." He forced Shinichi to lie down and failed to stifle a laugh when a loud yawn slipped from the young detective's mouth. "See? Get some sleep; I'll stay here if you want."

Feeling an immense sense of lethargy, Shinichi closed his eyes. "You're a lot like Kaito…but thank you." He fell into a deep sleep and remained that way well into the next afternoon, unable to hear the conversation that took place mere feet away from his bed.

"Takagi-keiji, are you still here?" Kaito entered the room, slightly surprised and wearing casual clothes over his bandages. "I figured you went home after bringing Shin-shin here." His gaze went to his boyfriend, who was fast asleep. "Ah, I was worried he wouldn't be able to sleep with the case still unsolved."

Takagi chuckled. "I chose to stay here since he needed someone keeping an eye on him. After all, he did just solve the case last night and was in such a hurry to wake you."

Kaito's eyes widened. "Wait, he did solve it then? Who was the culprit?"

Takagi shook his head with a finger on his lips. "I don't think I should tell you; I believe Kudou-kun deserves the honor with how much he had to go through to find it out."

Kaito's expression saddened. "That's true. We all have had a lot of stress due to this case, myself included. To be honest, I didn't think Shin-shin would be able to pull it off with how many people were getting attacked."

Takagi could only agree. "Yes, there were six attacks performed by him including the four that involved you two, as well as three murders. I don't care what he says—he will always be considered a cold-blooded, heartless killer."

Kaito frowned. "Only nine charges? I thought there were a lot more than that."

Takagi ran a hand through his hair. "Well, we think so too, but he won't fess up to anything else. He said he killed three people that were on a train, at an ocean, and by a building respectively and that the only people he attacked were you, Kudou-kun, Ran-san, and Nakamori Aoko."

Kaito lowered his head. "At least he admitted doing something, right? He probably did the rest but doesn't feel you have enough evidence against him anyway, so you'll just have to keep looking."

Takagi could tell Kaito was hiding a deep, dark depression but knew he shouldn't ask. Instead, he stood up and checked his phone. "I guess I should be going back soon to see how the interview went. Hopefully, he'll get charged with more than nine offenses." He left the hospital room, and Kaito took his spot at Shinichi's bedside.

"Oi, Shin-shin, get up for a moment~" Kaito shook Shinichi until he awoke.

"What's up, Kaito?" Shinichi yawned and sat up, his eyes brightening when seeing Kaito's excitement. "I presume you want to know what happened last night, yes?"

Kaito agreed. "Takagi-keiji just told me that you solved it but wouldn't tell me who the culprit was. Who was he, Shin-shin? Who was the guy that wanted to kill you, and why did he feel so strongly about it?"

Shinichi looked up at the ceiling with a distant gaze as the conversation from the previous night returned to him. "In a way, he was a jealous man that wanted a girl. In another, he was a boy lost and in need of the way out. He went by two names, and you'll recognize both: Shimada Koichi and Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko." He continued explaining the culprit's past and of what he thought caused him to begin experimenting with poisons, but that didn't make sense to Kaito.

"Shin-shin, hang on a second," he interrupted. "Why would Koichi try to experiment with poisons? Couldn't he have just stabbed them with a kitchen knife and ran like he did with you?"

Shinichi gave a mysterious smile. "He could have, but he wanted a better, more complex way of disposing those that were in his way. There's also another possibility for this, but I doubt it's very likely…"

For some reason, Kaito grew nervous. "W-what do you mean, Shin-shin? What's your other theory?"

"He was in the Organization and taking direct orders from their boss to kill me."

* * *

 **Author's Note: I...I don't really have anything to say here except thanks again to all you loyal readers. You've stuck through until the end, and now there's only one chapter left in this story. I will admit that it wasn't quite as I expected (even though Mitsuhiko was the killer from the beginning), but I'm still very happy with it. Eventually, once Preventing the Truth and I'll Be There for You are finished and completely uploaded on here, you will all see the beginning to the sequel I have started planning (partly due to a few plot holes I have to fix but also because KaiShin is adorable): Life's Full of Consequences.  
**

 **Have a great day, everyone~!**


	51. Epilogue

**Final Author's Note: I can't believe it, but this story is finished! It was a lot of fun writing it, and it will be even better writing the sequel when the time comes! I would normally include this note after the chapter, but I felt like it should be here instead to leave a better impression with that last line... I know a few of you will be upset, but don't forget there _will_ be a sequel; no need to worry!**

 **As for future plans with the fanfics, I am uploading Preventing the Truth starting on August 4th. I've mentioned it already, but I will be away for two months visiting my father and as a result cannot upload anything. I can check reviews and reply to them, but that's about it. Like with this story, I will be uploading every Friday until I start running out of time (I like to complete the stories before I leave on May 31st...and yes, I do this every year). After Preventing the Truth is completed, I will probably upload I'll Be There for You since it should be completed by then and includes all four Gosho Boys (even if I hate Hakuba...).**

 **[I know, readers that have finished the story already, that there are lots of plot holes in this! That's one reason why I'm making a sequel to this: so I can fix the plot holes! I think perhaps the biggest one is the entire "Kenichi" story since there are so many questions. As a result, I will make Kenichi's story a huge part of the sequel since Kaito is going to be the protagonist instead of Shinichi. We will all learn many things, including why Mitsuhiko/Koichi decided to join the Organization and become a murderer... I can't wait~!]**

 **I have wanted to say this, so I guess I can say it now that the story's done:**

 _ **See you next illusion~**_

* * *

Epilogue

The trial came a week later, and in the stands anxiously watching were Shinichi, Kaito, Ran, Ai, Agasa, the Hattoris, and the Kudou parents. It took the jury three whole days before coming to a final decision.

"We find the defendant Shimada Koichi…guilty for six counts of attempted murder and three counts of first-degree murder. He will be sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole." The gavel pounded, forever closing the case.

"Well, ya finally finished it, Kudou!" Heiji patted his friend on the back with a laugh. "I was gettin' worried that ya couldn't do it, but ya surprised me! So it was that Koichi guy from the ship that was tryin' to kill ya the whole time?"

Shinichi nodded as they exited the courthouse to eat at an expensive restaurant in celebration. "Yeah, it turned out he was actually a victim of the apoptoxin as well. He managed to come here under the disguise of Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko and soon met with 'Edogawa Conan.' Even if he was an awful detective, he could tell that I was hiding something. Once Haibara came along and found out he was a victim, she kept it a secret from everyone and would meet with him in the middle of the night to examine him. After all, he was given an earlier prototype of the poison, and she didn't know what exactly it did in comparison with her and me.

"Then came the day she made the antidote. I still don't know how she managed to do it with insufficient data involving the actual poison's chemical makeup, but she still did it. Since Mitsuhiko wasn't there when I said farewell to the Detective Boys, we can assume he was given the antidote before me so he could return to his home in America and plot his revenge against me and Haibara."

"Oh, so you don't know all of it then~" Ai smirked. "Because there are a few important facts you're missing. While he did plan on returning to America at first, he found it to be worthless since he had no family there anymore, and his house would have been either destroyed or bought by someone else. Instead, he disappeared for a little under a year, returning at a rather odd time…"

Shinichi's eyebrows furrowed. "Just under a year after the antidote was made…?" He froze as realization hit. "Hang on, that's when you finished getting rid of the Organization!"

Ai agreed. "It is. My guess is that he joined their rankings for a short time to learn about poisons so he could dispose of those in his way. However, even I don't know why he had to join the ones that killed his family and almost killed him."

Exasperated, Shinichi threw his hands in the air. "It just makes no sense; there's something crucial missing that none of us know. Since he only admitted doing a few of the crimes and attacks, I'm certain about that."

Heiji ruffled Shinichi's hair. "Oi, we're not goin' out just fer ya to get worked up again! He's in prison fer the rest o' his life—ain't that enough fer ya?"

Shinichi glared at Heiji. "Hattori, since when have _you_ been satisfied with a case when you're still missing facts?" He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "But I guess now isn't really the time to think about this, is it? I just have to wait until I feel I should speak with him in person." Ignoring Heiji's protest, he ran ahead to speak with Ran. "So how are you feeling, Ran? Weren't you just released from the hospital yesterday?"

Ran smiled. "I was fully released, yes. I've been out for about four days under close supervision in case I collapsed." She suddenly grabbed Shinichi's arm and leaned against him, making him blush. "I'm really glad you solved the case, Shinichi; I was worried something would happen again like before."

Shinichi averted his gaze. "Um, yeah, I am too, but my health wasn't near as important as you or Kaito or Hattori. I think the worst part of the case was that Koichi didn't care who he hurt; as long as he made me suffer, he was happy."

Ran hummed and removed herself from Shinichi with a chuckle. "I think someone's getting jealous." She gestured behind her, where Yukiko wore a huge pout.

"Shin-chan!" She rushed up to her son and tightly hugged him, making many laugh. "I should be all over you too since I've been gone so much! I'm so sorry that Yu-chan and I couldn't be there to help you solve the case faster; there shouldn't have been so many attacks and murders!"

Shinichi tried to shove his mom away, but she was persistent. "Kaa-san, it's not your fault. Besides, I think it was better that you and Tou-san were gone in case you were considered targets by Koichi."

"Oh, Shin-chan!" Yukiko wailed, squeezing her son more than humanly possible.

"Yukiko, you may want to stop hugging him so tightly," Yusaku pointed out, for he could tell his son was having a bit of trouble breathing.

Yukiko released the hug but still held his hand as they entered the restaurant and found a table big enough for all ten of them. Shinichi and Kaito sat at each of the ends with the Hattoris and Ran on one side and the Kudou parents, Ai, and Agasa on the other. As they got up to enter the gourmet buffet line, Kazuha noticed Kaito wasn't getting up from his seat.

"Kaito, is somethin' wrong? Ain'tcha gonna eat somethin'?" She picked up the bubbly Akemi and eyed the magician with concern.

Kaito jumped. "Oh, nothing's wrong, Kazuha-san! I'm just not very hungry, that's all."

Kazuha narrowed her eyes. "Then why did ya offer to pay fer all our meals if yer not eatin' in the first place? Somethin's botherin' ya, ain't it?"

Kaito bit his lip. He wanted to voice his worries to someone, but he didn't want everyone to know about it, especially Shinichi. "Just make sure to not tell anyone, okay?" He sighed. "I feel like this case isn't completely finished yet; there's someone else we haven't put in prison."

Kazuha rolled her eyes. "Well, ya still got some o' those men in black left to get rid of, don'tcha? Maybe that's what's botherin' ya." She grabbed Kaito's hand and forced him to stand. "Ya shouldn't be worryin' anyway since I know Shinichi an' Heiji are gonna help ya get those nasty men outta here!"

Kaito quietly thanked her, and they joined the line. After a filling meal, they spent the rest of the day driving around Tokyo and chatting. Eventually, some were ready to return home.

"Heiji, we gotta go," Kazuha nudged her dozing husband. "I have to work tomorrow, an' ya gotta go to that interview in place o' yer dad."

Heiji yawned. "Ah, that's right. Sorry everyone, but can ya drop us off at the airport? We got a lotta stuff to do."

After a quick trip to the airport, only Shinichi, Kaito, Ran, and Ai remained. "Well, we should be going home, shouldn't we?" Ran started the car and looked through the rearview mirror with a smile. She knew how Shinichi acted during the time of a trial, so it was no surprise that he was asleep in the backseat. "Since I have to return this van, would you guys mind walking from the train station? If I remember right, it's close to both of your houses."

The others didn't care, so Ran began to drive while Kaito began waking Shinichi. "Oi, Shin-shin, time to get up~" He kissed Shinichi on the cheek.

"I fell asleep?" Shinichi mumbled as he slowly opened his eyes. "I thought I told you guys not to let me do that." He took a moment to wake up more and noticed many people missing. "Hey, where are the others anyway?"

Kaito snickered. "We just dropped them off at the airport since they all had things to do tomorrow. As for you, we need to get home so you can get some sleep for your classes! You've been gone for a little while now, and I don't think the teachers really like that."

Ran stopped the car in front of the train station. "Okay, we're here! Thanks for all the fun today, Shinichi!" The other three stepped out of the car, and Ran drove away with a small wave.

"Well, let's get going!" Kaito grinned. They began walking and after twenty minutes came to a branching path. "That's your path, isn't it, Scientist-san? Make sure to call the professor and monitor his diet!" Kaito began to lead Shinichi down the other path when Ai suddenly spoke.

"Kudou-kun, Kuroba-kun…there's something I should tell you two."

Feeling Shinichi tense, Kaito frowned. "What do you mean? Does it have anything to do with the case?"

Ai closed her eyes. "It does. I've been wondering if I should tell you, but it's probably best if I do so judging that you think there's something you're missing."

"I knew it," Shinichi whispered his thought aloud, surprising Kaito. "I knew you were still hiding something, Haibara. What is it?"

Ai mysteriously smiled. "Well, let's just say it has something to do with my attacker's identity. It wasn't Koichi-san…it was someone else."

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
